Amir Khan passes a surprise test; Algieri proves legitimacy Sponsored by RevContent 30 Pics That Nearly Broke The Internet! Check Out #8! Local Area, Philippines : Shocking Trick! Regrows Hair Naturally Philippines : 1 Odd Trick “Destroys” Erectile Dysfunction Overnight 18 Celebrities That Went From Hot To Heavy
Few fights actually surpass expectations but Amir Khan vs Chris Algieri did just that, and with room to spare.
In a showdown of former world champions, welterweight Amir Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) won a twelve round unanimous decision over Chris Algieri (20-2, 8 KOs) last night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Officials scores were 115-113, 117-111 and 117-111.
FightSaga scored it 116-112 and ESPN’s Dan Rafael tallied 115-113, both for Khan.
Surprise, surprise From the opening bell to the final chime, Chris Algieri, the presumed consummate boxer, assumed the role of aggressive brawler, much to the surprise of Khan and experts at ringside.
Noticeably taller and thicker than his foe, Algieri pressured the backpedaling Khan and landed humdingers throughout but his courageous efforts and high activity rate weren’t enough to conquer Khan who used his footwork to box well and effectively rain speedy, eye-catching combinations on his foe.
Both fighters were rocked a few times and Khan was staggered a bit in the opening stanza but neither fighter appeared in any serious danger despite the relatively high volume punching from both men. In the end, and despite a surprisingly rugged performance by Algieri, Khan’s superior skills were simply too much to overcome.
There was a distinct difference in class, from a pugilistic sense, among the fighters.
How did it compare to Pacquiao vs Algieri? Algieri was far more competitive against Khan than he was against Pacquiao in November. However, and in all fairness to Khan, we saw a different Chris Algieri tonight.
Key Takeaways
Amir Khan Footwork… A thing of beauty and still his greatest asset Speed… Gives anyone problems Chin… Absorbed flush shots from an opponent who was unleashing with ‘bad intentions’ Ring generalship… Excellent command of range; managed to control the tempo more than Chris Defense… Wonderful at times but still has lapses; Despite his agility and speed, Khan gets hit more often and more flush than he should Stock… Perhaps a tiny up-tick
Chris Algieri Style… Instead of the defensive-minded fighter on his bicycle we’ve seen in the past, Algieri was a relentless pressure fighter, and the style may be a better fit for him when fighting opponents who are not knockout artists Workrate: Impressive; Algieri managed to throw more punches than Khan who is known for being a busy fighter Power… Even when flatfooted, he still lacks considerable power stuff Durability… Perhaps one of the most sturdy fighters in boxing; Absorbed some hard combos Effort… Let’s give him an ‘A’; He never stopped trying to produce the KO Game plan… New trainer John David Jackson prepared his fighter well; New tandem may make waves in boxing. Stock… Rises; Algieri made things difficult for Khan, proving he’s relevant in boxing’s red hot welterweight division
Was Khan’s performance good enough to get fans more excited about a potential showdown with Floyd Mayweather?
No. Amir looked good and, at times, great; However, he had his hands full tonight and didn’t produce the dominant performance he’d hoped. He did, however, show poise, grit and the ability to ‘mix it up’ when necessary against a bigger, aggressive opponent who was earnestly trying to score a knockout from start to finish.
Stats: Khan landed 218 of 609 (36%); Algieri landed 199 of 703 (28%)
Quality/Excitement: Thus far, Khan vs Algieri is one of the best elite-level bouts of 2015.
