Photo by Ed Mulholland
Or maybe the better word is upset?
One thing is for sure. Shock takes on a different context as Chris Algieri looks to beat Manny Pacquiao this weekend in Macao, China. At a certain point in time shock may have been synonymous with upset. For example, in a bizarre twist of events, Algieri managed to get the edge of a split decision over Ruslan Provodnikov—this was both shocking and upsetting.
Now for Algieri, shocking the world is more than upsetting them. It’s proving to us all that he’s worthy of fighting at an elite level with high-caliber fighters like Pacquiao.
To be honest, the fact that Algieri got this fight defies all logic. Before him and Pacquiao toured the world as Mangieri, boxing’s most adorable couple, he was relatively unknown. It was only this past Valentine’s Day that he fought Emmanuel Taylor on ESPN. After the Provodnikov fight Algieri became kinda-sorta known, but his name received a much needed boost once the deal with Pacquiao was set in stone.
Basically in the span of a year Algieri went from fighting on Friday Night Fights, to HBO, and now to HBO pay-per-view. I can only attribute Algieri’s lucky break to the good timing of his post-Provodnikov hype and the uncertain way boxing matchups fall into place, true to the sport’s chaotic nature.
Now, if anyone believes Algieri has earned his stripes, it is because his well-calculated media presence has convinced them it’s the case. To Algieri’s credit, he has done a thorough job campaigning as a charismatic, well-spoken guy with a Master’s Degree in clinical nutrition and aspirations of becoming a doctor (aww!).
For every Brooks Brothers suit Algieri has worn (they are pretty sharp though, I can’t lie) and Colgate smile he’s flashed, he’s gained an ounce of confidence from some unknowing boxing fan out there assuring him he deserves to be at this level.
Why does this all matter? In reality it doesn’t, but the sudden hype surrounding Algieri has made many think he’s worthy of being an elite fighter without having proved himself. We should be clear that this is why anyone is asking, “Can Chris Algieri shock the world?” in the first place.
One thing I’ve learned in my time as a boxing fan, is that no matter how profitable, it is never wise to build up a fighter based on hype when they have not put in the work to be elite. Doing so is akin to the foolish man who built his house on sand—it’s setting them up on a weak foundation, and almost always ends in disappointment.
The tour has been a nice ride, but Algieri, smoothie extraordinaire, isn’t running for President. It’s not our votes he needs to win; it’s Pacquiao’s respect and an outcome in his favor. No matter how much fun Mini-Golf with Manny has been, getting in the ring with a guy like Pacquiao is a real situation.
With all of this said, I’m not dismissing Algieri. He hangs in a sort of limbo where you can’t give him too much credit, but you can’t count him out either.
The way I see it, Algieri can only win this fight off points alone. But his lack of power is one less thing to worry about, meaning Pacquiao will not be afraid to take risks in the fight. For Algieri to win by decision, he will need to outwork and outbox Pacquiao. And incase Algieri forgot over milkshakes with Manny (sorry, couldn’t help it), Pacquiao can fight and he can box.
Algieri has proven he can be a superstar outside the ring. We have yet to see if he can be one inside the ring, specifically at this level in boxing. If he wins, many doors will open for him. If he loses, there will still be competition in his division to work his way up again.
(Sidebar: Paulie Malignaggi would be a great fight for Algieri. It’s actually the only fight for which I would give Malignaggi the permission to come out of retirement. Both have fan bases in New York, and neither of them really have power so it would make for a great boxing match—a very pretty one at that, almost in an ice-skating sort of way).
Bottom line: Right now Algieri has a name, but can he back up the hype? My confidence is in Pacquiao, but there’s always a possibility, a fighter’s chance. There’s no doubt, however, that Pacquiao will be a true test for the Huntington native. Only after the first bell sounds will we see if this is just a lucky break for Algieri or if it is his destiny.
