Manny Pacquiao (L) of the Philippines punches Chris Algieri of the U.S. during their World Boxing Organisation (WBO) 12-round welterweight title fight at the Venetian Macao hotel in Macau November 23, 2014. Photo by Tyrone Siu, Reuters.
By knocking down Chris Algieri six times throughout their bout, Manny Pacquiao has clearly shown who the real “master boxer” is.
Veteran fight analysts Ed Tolentino and Ronnie Nathanielsz said what Pacquiao has done on Sunday in Macau was to school the younger Algieri on the nuances of the “sweet science.”
“’Yun naman ang sinabi ni Freddie Roach, ‘we'll take him to school.’ While taking him to school, on the way, he dropped him six times,” jested Nathanielsz in an interview on DZMM.
For his part, Tolentino said Pacquiao’s experience in over 60 fights showed in the 12-round WBO welterweight title clash against Algieri.
“Sabi nga natin eh, kahit may Masters’ degree ka, experience is the best teacher sa boxing,” he said, referring to Algieri’s Masters’ degree in Nutrition.
Prior to the bout, Algieri’s camp sold the American fighter as a “Master boxer,” pointing to his 20 wins in his relatively young career.
But it was the fighting congressman who outboxed the taller American, who kissed the canvass first in the second round following a three-punch combination from Pacquiao. The Filipino decked Algieri twice in the sixth round, two times more in the ninth stanza and again in the 10th.
Pacquiao was so dominant that the judges gave him a lopsided 119-103, 119-103, 120-102 win.
No plan to win
For Tolentino, it seems the strategy of Algieri’s camp was to avoid their fighter getting knocked out.
“Napansin namin na wala silang planong manalo. ‘Yung mga cornermen niya, in between rounds, five times nang tumihaya na si Algieri ang sabi nila 'We're at the exact pace that we want to be. You're doing well,’” he said.
“Dapat sinasabi nila 'yung katotohanan, 'You're trailing on points, kailangan you have roll the dice, kailangan mag-gamble ka.’ Hindi namin narining ‘yun.”
Although Nathanielsz said Pacquiao gave out an impressive performance, he said he was disappointed with the outcome. He felt the referee should have stopped the fight in the ninth after Algieri survived the count after a fifth knockdown.
“Medyo disappointed lang ako kasi i thought he will win by sixth-round TKO. Ninth round, I thought ititigil na 'yung fight, kasi 'yung bagsak ni Algieri tapos na ang boxing. He barely beat the count,” said Nathanielsz.
Tolentino believes Pacquiao would have knocked Algieri out if the American gambled to mix it up with the Filipino veteran.
“Tumagal ang laban na ito sa kadahilanang masyadong defensive ang laban ni Chris Algieri, suntok, layo at talagang ayaw makipag-mix up... Sabi ko nga kahit isang secquence lang na sumabay si Chris Algieri, palagay ko may pinaglagyan siya ng tuluyan.”
