Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach gave Chris Algieri some credit ahead of their November 22 clash in Macau, China for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title, but believes Algieri won't be able to withstand Pacquiao's onslaught on fight night.
"He's got a good jab, he's left handed, he's got a good jab and a good hook. His right hand is not so good," Roach said. "I honestly think he's in over his head a little bit."
Algieri earned this matchup by upsetting Ruslan Provodnikov this summer at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The largely unknown Algieri survived two knockdown in the first round, utilizing his jab and constant movement to frustrate Provodnikov. Against a veteran like Pacquiao, however, Roach thinks Algieri's tricks won't be enough.
"I think Manny is gonna be way too much for him," Roach said. "I think Manny can make (the fight) as hard or as easy as he wants to make it."
Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz echoed that sentiment, saying the difficulty of the matchup hinges on Pacquiao's level of preparation. "If Manny focuses - like I think he will - and if he trains hard, then I don't think Algieri is a match for us," Koncz said.
Algieri was able to defeat Provodnikov by being busier than him, and being willing to take harder shots in exchange for landing with greater volume. Pacquiao, on the other hand, is planning to fight with aggression to overwhelm Algieri.
"We are training him for more head movements, more punching combinations and a non-stop assault. We expect a bigger and taller Algieri to run around the ring. We should be ready for that. But, just in case, Algieri decides to mix it up then much better. The fight would end earlier," assistant trainer Robert "Buboy" Fernandez said.
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