Unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri will face Manny Pacquiao in the ring on Nov. 22 with dominating height and superior reach but Pacquiao’s longtime trainer Freddie Roach believes that despite the edge, Pacquiao will win the fight.
Aside from being undefeated in 20 pro fights, Algieri is known for his defense, mobility in the ring and accurate jabs. Algieri, who snatched Ruslan Provodnikov’s WBO title in Brooklyn last June, is reported to be already in top shape for his upcoming bout with Pacquiao. Roach, who was at Provodnikov’s corner when Algieri was proclaimed winner ? despite the two knockdowns in the first round ? wants to get even with Algieri but this time he will be in Pacquiao’s corner. Despite the odds favoring Pacquiao less than three weeks before the fight, Roach said he isn’t taking Algieri lightly. During the press conference in General Santos city in the Philippines, Roach was asked if Algieri is a worthy opponent of Pacquiao and he said that the unbeaten champ got his man beaten despite the two knockdowns. “Well Algieri did just beat one of the best punchers in the world. He got off the deck twice and he showed a lot of heart. He definitely deserves to be there It?s going to be a great fight. That?s why we are training so hard for this fight and that?s why we have such good sparring partners because we are not taking him lightly at all, Roach said. Pacquiao also acknowledged Algieri’s talent, having shown it when he survived two knockdowns against his former sparring partner to win the fight on points. With Pacquiao in the opposite corner, Roach is motivated to avenge Provodnikov’s loss and even predicted that Pacquiao can win by knockout. “I would love to see a knockout. The thing is, I think, you know, at ?47, maybe he’s a little bit smaller than most of the ?47-pounders out there. We have to feed him five times a day to make that weight,? Roach explained.
Manny Pacquiao (R) and his coach Freddie Roach take part in a media workout at the Wild Card Boxing Club on April 02, 2014 in Hollywood, California Joe Klamar, AFP Like this image Indeed Pacquiao is capable of scoring a KO against Algieri but he should be able to hit Algieri with a solid shot like what Provodnikov did in the first round of their last fight. Pacquiao is known as a great finisher and Roach knows that in the situation where Algieri got knocked down by Provodnikov during their recent fight, Pacquiao would have attacked Algieri in rapid succession as he usually does when he smells blood. “Unlike Ruslan, Manny knows how to finish what he starts,” said Roach, who is confident that Pacquiao will score his first knockout in five years. Pacquiao has indicated that he won’t be actively involved in the coaching job as head coach of Kia Sorento in the 40th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) until after his fight with Algieri. Pacquiao’s involvement in professional basketball has become a major distraction in his ongoing training for the Algieri fight. This is a positive development as Pacquiao is barely three weeks away from the fight.
