Oddsmakers are of the belief that vintage Manny Pacquiao virtually doesn’t have much of a chance against the youthful and unbeaten Errol Spence when they rumble on 21 August in Las Vegas.
Reports from Sin City show that Spence, who will be defending his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation welterweight crowns, has been installed as -450 and Pacquiao +350. Based on these numbers, a mere $100 bet on Pacquiao wins a whopping $350.
In contrast, a Spence bettor has to cough up $450 to win a measly $100.
But to a former opponent of both Pacquiao and Spence, these are mere numbers.
Chris Algieri, talking to Es News over the weekend, said “you can’t count out Pacquiao.”
Citing the Filipino eight-division champion’s power, speed and defense, Algieri insists the matchup is a pick ‘em given the weapons the two fighters possess in their arsenal.
“Pacquiao has one-punch power (and) Pacquiao’s first step is very fast and his footwork is something else, breaks (your) rhythm,” said Algieri, who lost to Pacquiao on a lopsided decision in November 2014 in Macau.
The New York-bred Algieri also praised Pacquiao’s defense, swearing that he initially thought that Pacquiao, now 42, could be “much easier to hit.”
Still, Algieri, now 37, admits Spence, who stopped him in five rounds in April 2016, “has got everything.”
“(Spence) is too young, too big and too strong, an all-around (fighter),” he said.
Though he is torn between the two, Algieri thinks logic points to a wager on Spence.
“My heart’s with Pacquiao but my betting line is on Spence,” Algieri said.
The Spence battle will be Pacquiao’s first in over two years since his last outing took place in July 2019 against Keith Thurman.
Although both fighters were affected by the pandemic, Spence, 31, managed to get rid of ring rust when he beat Puerto Rican banger Danny Garcia last December.
