Manny Pacquiao is expected to be a heavy favorite in Macau, China on November 22 when he faces WBO junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri, who is fighting above 140 pounds for the first time in his career.
Leading up to this bout, Algieri has been supremely confident about his chances to defeat Pacquiao, despite the fact that he is facing a future Hall of Famer with countless big wins on his resume. These are the top five reasons Algieri may be able to shock the world.
Height
Algieri is a very tall welterweight, and the second-tallest opponent of Pacquiao’s career (Antonio Margarito is 5’11). Making matters even tougher, Algieri is a much more active fighter than the plodding Margarito, meaning Pacquiao will have to punch upward at a moving target.
On a Tuesday conference call Algieri downplayed the effect his height will have. “It’s not a tall guy versus a short guy – It’s Chris Algieri versus Manny Pacquiao. It’s what I bring to the table versus what he brings to the table,” Algieri said.
Don’t believe him. Anything that can sap Pacquiao’s punching power is a plus.
Reach
In addition to towering over Pacquiao, Algieri has a huge reach advantage. Algieri’s reach is listed as 72 inches; that is five inches longer than Pacquiao. Unlike Margarito, who was a brawler that loved fighting in close, Algieri is a pure boxer that moves around the ring. He has the length to keep the aggressive Pacquiao at bay, and Pacman will need to expend a ton of energy getting through Algieri’s activity.
Great Jab
On top of the reach, Algieri’s biggest strength is his jab. He used it constantly to defeat Ruslan Provodnikov, keeping him at bay after suffering two knockdowns in Round 1. Algieri fought the remainder of the fight with one eye and his jab was the reason he survived.
Low Expectations
Algieri is being taken lightly by many in the boxing community, and perhaps even by Pacquiao. Recently, Pacquiao participated in a pro basketball game in the Philippines for a team he serves as player-coach for.
When asked about it, Algieri seemed miffed. "I don't know if it's arrogance or just silly and stupid," Algieri said. "During the press tour, I actually got on a horse at one point. As soon as I got up there, I was like, 'This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea because I'm getting paid after the fight.'”
Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has also stated on several occasions that Algieri is “in over his head.” On the call Algieri addressed Roach’s comments.
“He is wasting his time because I don’t even read those reports. So that’s the first thing. Secondly, I hear about them from other people around me and it doesn’t make a difference to me,” Algieri said.
“I would imagine it is some kind of strategy, a kind of mental game or whatnot. Freddie’s been around a long time and maybe this has worked for him in the past but it’s not going to work on me.”
Mate Tea
As a budding medical student one of Algieri’s greatest attributes is his conditioning. Part of that is mate tea, a drink that Algieri told reporters he drinks as he prepares for each fight.
“I drink mate every day during training camp, and just in general. It’s packed full of vitamins and nutrients and a lot of B vitamins that you would normally get from meat. The caffeine in there affects me less and it’s more like a stimulant. I can drink more of it and it’s hydrating as well,” Algieri said.
“It helps also with fat loss and staying lean. It really is an overall incredible health drink and on top of it it’s part of the culture. It’s something my whole family and does and what we have always done. It’s warm and soothing for the belly and it helps you digest as well.”
Algieri will need every ounce of stamina he can muster vs. Pacquiao, an aggressive fighter who throws relentlessly, from awkward angles, and with power.
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