Manny Pacquiao vs Chris Algieri: Everything You Need to Know for the Fight

Saturday’s pay-per-view fight between Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) and Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) seeks to draw viewer interest in two different ways.

First, there’s the prospect of seeing Pacquiao in the ring again, the most intriguing and exciting fighter of his generation. Not only is he an elite-level superstar, but he’s one of the most consistent action fighters in the history of the sport.

When Pacquiao fights, you should watch.

Second, there’s the unheralded Algieri, a handsome charmer with little backstory other than being the underdog type folks like to root for. Can he pull off the upset of the year?

Pacquiao, age 35, is coming off perhaps the year’s most underappreciated win. In April, he easily outboxed the previously undefeated Timothy Bradley, a fighter ranked consistently among the top five pound-for-pounders in boxing.

Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Algieri hit the Pacquiao PPV lottery by sneaking by bruising slugger Ruslan Provodnikov in June. Algieri was knocked to the canvas twice in the opening round but boxed well enough in front of three judges in his home state of New York to earn a split decision.

The bout will take place at the Venetian Resort in Macau, China. The fighters will meet at an agreed upon catchweight of 144 pounds. 

Will Pacquiao dominate the unheralded challenger the way most pundits believe he should? Or will this be Algieri’s springboard to boxing stardom?

Here’s everything you need to know about the big fight.

The Fighters

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Is there a more exciting fighter than Pacquiao?

Pacquiao will defend the WBO welterweight title against Algieri, the WBO junior welterweight titleholder. Pacquiao picked up the vacant alphabet strap in November 2013 against Brandon Rios. Algieri took his belt from Provodnikov.

Both fighters are ranked according to the Transnational Rankings. Pacquiao is the No. 2-ranked welterweight contender to the vacant championship behind the No. 1-rated fighter at 147, Floyd Mayweather. Algieri is the No. 3-ranked contender to Danny Garcia’s junior welterweight throne.

Pacquiao is one of the biggest superstars in boxing. He’s defeated a slew of Hall of Famers in his storied career and has won world titles in eight different weight classes. Pacquiao is an explosive southpaw with power in both hands. He possesses unparalleled hand speed and is the premier offensive fighter in boxing.

Moreover, Pacquiao’s defensive skills, particularly his ability to block punches with his gloves and spin away from danger after throwing punches, are overlooked commodities.

Pacquiao is easily a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s arguably the most accomplished fighter of his generation based on quality of opposition.

Meanwhile, Algieri is a lanky boxer with good skills and a knack for knowing when to throw punches. His long arms give him chances to land punches from a distance, and he uses deft footwork to circle away from his opponents as they race toward him.

“He is a pretty good mover. He moves pretty well and he is very defensive,” Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said about Algieri (via CBS Sports' Lyle Fitzsimmons). 

Algieri doesn’t have world-class power, but he augments the power he does have by throwing in high volume. While he’s considered skilled and smart, his only significant win was his narrow victory over Provodnikov earlier this year.

Against Pacquiao, he’ll have to be better than he’s ever been before if he hopes to be competitive.

The Undercard

USA TODAY Sports

Lomachenko appears to be something special.

The Fights Before the Fight

• WBO featherweight titleholder Vasyl Lomachenko (2-1, 1 KO) will defend his belt against Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo (52-1, 33 KOs) in a 12-round bout.
• WBA junior welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (25-0, 9 KOs) hopes to successfully defend his title against former titlist Antonio DeMarco (31-3-1, 23 KOs) in a 12-rounder.
• Chinese flyweight star Zou Shiming (5-0, 1 KO) takes on Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym (27-0-2, 12 KOs) of Thailand in the toughest bout of his young career.  

What to Know

As far as televised undercards go for major PPVs, this one is solid stuff.

Most notably, the card features former amateur star Lomachenko facing Piriyapinyo, a veteran of 53 fights, in just outing No. 4 of the 26-year-old’s professional career. Lomachenko has the look of a future boxing superstar. He’s skilled, a good puncher and fights in a crowd-pleasing style.

The fight of the night might be the junior welterweight showdown between Vargas and DeMarco. Vargas has fast hands and a good pedigree, but DeMarco is a tough veteran with championship experience. These guys will rumble and put on a good show. 

Finally, Shiming continues his march up the flyweight ladder against the undefeated Onesongchaigym. Already age 33, Shiming and team have to work fast if they hope to cash in on his long and storied amateur career in China, where he won three consecutive Olympic gold medals. 

In short, even if you're a miser, this is the PPV to buy. 

Where to Watch

Associated Press

Pacquiao returns to Macau for the first time since dominating Rios last year.

Where: Cotai Arena at the Venetian Resort in Macau

When: Saturday, November 22 at 9 p.m. ET.

TV: HBO PPV for $70 (HD)/$60 (SD)

Fight Week Events (All Times Are ET)

Final Press Conference (Wednesday, November 19)

Live stream via www.TopRank.tv or www.InsideHBOBoxing.com

• 8:30 a.m. – Press conference begins

 Official Weigh-In (Friday, November 21)

Live stream via www.TopRank.tv or www.InsideHBOBoxing.com

• 7 p.m. – PPV card weigh-in begins

Fight Night (Saturday, November 22)

Live stream via www.TopRank.tv or www.InsideHBOBoxing.com

• 7 p.m. – Non-televised bouts begin

• 9 p.m. – PPV telecast begins (contact your PPV provider to order) 

Odds and Prediction

USA TODAY Sports

Expect Pacquiao to win his 57th professional fight.

Odds

Pacquiao (-795), Algieri (+630), per Odds Shark (at time of publication).

Analysis and Prediction

Pacquiao should dominate Algieri via knockout or lopsided decision.

Look, Algieri knows how to smile for cameras and such, but Pacquiao is an elite-level force in the sport the likes of which the Huntington, New York, native has never seen.  

It’s one thing to go rounds and sneak by Provodnikov in a bout many observers thought should have gone to the latter fighter, but facing Pacquiao is a entirely different matter. Pacquiao is faster than Algieri, with more skill and better power.

To put it succinctly, there is absolutely nothing Algieri did in his one significant fight against Provodnikov that should give any indication he’ll be trouble for Pacquiao.

As many times as Provodnikov found and walloped Algieri in their 12-round bout, Pacquiao will find him more, hit him more times and with greater force.

Algieri is tall (5'10") and has good feet, but Pacquiao will cut off the ring and score so fast and accurately that Algieri won’t really know what hit him until it’s far too late.

Pacquiao will look exceptional against Algieri, and by the time the fight is over, the boxing drums will once again beat loudly for the long-awaited Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown fight fans so desperately crave.