Manny Pacquiao Must Knock out Chris Algieri and Retain Title to Silence Critics

When Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2) squares off against Chris Algieri (20-0) Saturday at The Venetian Macao in Macau, China, for the WBO Welterweight Championship, the veteran fighter must knock out his opponent to silence the critics.

As well as the 30-year-old Algieri has fought during his career, the 35-year-old Pacquiao—he'll be 36 in December—needs the victory to continue building his legacy and restore the credibility he lost when he was defeated twice in 2012.

The last two years have been difficult for Pacquiao, as he has been criticized for the back-to-back losses.

The first defeat at the hands of Timothy Bradley was his first loss in seven years and many believed Pac-Man should have won that fight on the judges’ scorecards.

On the other hand, his second fight of 2012 against Juan Manuel Marquez resulted in Pacquiao getting knocked out in the sixth round. The devastating loss had many boxing fans and experts questioning how legitimate of a threat Pac-Man would continue to be.

After an extended break to recover from the loss, the veteran has bounced back with two straight wins.

Not only did Pacquiao avenge his loss against Bradley, but he also went toe-to-toe with Brandon Rios and looked dominant once again. While he was unable to finish either of his last two opponents—both fights resulted in unanimous-decision victories—Pac-Man showed glimpses of the speed and power that made him famous.

The return of Pacquiao’s power and speed is what will ultimately beat Algieri Saturday.

The biggest advantage for Algieri in this fight is his height and reach. At three-and-a-half inches taller and with five extra inches of reach on his punches, Algieri will look to keep Pac-Man at a distance with his jab, setting up his opponent to get overly aggressive and leave the openings he can exploit.

On paper, Algieri’s game plan is smart, but Pacquiao has the perfect combination of physical ability and desire to make a statement.

While it may be difficult to get through Algieri’s defense, Pac-Man will dominate this bout once he gets inside. Staying at a distance benefits the challenger, but Pacquiao wants to keep this fight toe-to-toe in order to accumulate damage and eventually end the fight early.

The defending champion needs the knockout victory.

With two recent losses and the desire to fight a few more big-name challengers before he hangs up his gloves forever, knocking out the undefeated Algieri in spectacular fashion would help him reclaim much of the credibility he has lost.

Pacquiao spoke to The Telegraph about possible blockbuster fights against Floyd Mayweather and Amir Khan after beating Algieri, but the champion must win in decisive fashion Saturday before either of those options are viable.

Boxing promoters want the biggest show possible. There is no doubt that Pacquiao still has the mainstream notoriety to be part of a superfight, but he must knock out Algieri to prove that he is still an elite fighter in the ring and deserves to be on the biggest stages.

Pac-Man must knock Algieri out and send a definitive message to the best fighters in the world.

Predicted Result: Pacquiao via 10th-Round TKO.

Stats via BoxRec.com.