Chris Hyde/ Getty Images
Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) successfully defended his WBO Welterweight crown in dominant fashion against Chris Algieri (20-1, 8 KOs) at the Cotai Arena in Macao, China.
The 12-round fight was the main event of a pay-per-view card presented by Top Rank Promotions and HBO Boxing.
Pacquiao, 35, of the Philippines, scored six knockdowns in a fight he completely controlled with his signature combination of speed and power.
Algieri, 30, of Huntington, New York, spent the entire fight on his back foot, using a lot of movement to avoid getting hurt by Pacquiao.
“The plan was to fight four first rounds because I knew he was going to come on strong,” said Algieri.
Algieri seemed to grow a bit comfortable in the middle rounds, but his comfort was soon removed by vicious left hands that sent Algieri to the ground several times.
Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Algieri could not acclimate to Pacquiao’s clear superiority in skill, speed, and power, as he seemed to be in surviving mode from the opening bell.
According to Compubox, Pacquiao landed 34 percent of his punches (229 of 669), while Algieri only landed 23 percent of his (108 of 469).
While Algieri’s height and reach advantage might have suggested that he’d land more jabs, it was Pacquiao who landed more as he connected with 16 percent of his jabs (42 of 259) compared with Algieri’s 11 percent (28 of 257).
Pacquiao won with scores of 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102.
Pacquiao did not, as many predicted, close the show with a spectacular knockout.
“I was trying to look for a knockout but he was fast and was moving so it was hard to get careless and overconfident,” said Pacquiao.
Perhaps it was Algieri’s movement that prevented a knockout or perhaps we have a more careful Pacquiao due to the knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.
Nevertheless, Pacquiao was still dominant in his win and, unfortunately, his name must always be remembered next to the other man who is at the top of the Welterweight list: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“I’m ready to fight him next year,” said Pacquiao.
Whether that fight will happen is not something that will keep this writer from having a good night’s sleep.
It’s been four years, you guys, and we’re all tired of it.
