Pacquiao vs. Algieri Predictions: Projecting Round-by-Round Winner

Saturday’s marquee pay-per-view main event between Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2) and Chris Algieri (20-0) at the Venetian Macao in Macau for the WBO Welterweight Championship is one of the most anticipated fights of 2014.

Pacquiao is coming off back-to-back wins, but he is still trying to erase the memory of the knockout he suffered at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. On the other hand, Algieri has won the first 20 fights of his professional career and will bring youthful exuberance against Pac-Man.

Here are the round-by-round predictions for Pacquiao vs. Algieri and a breakdown of how the fight ends in the 10th round.

Round	Manny Pacquiao's Scores	Chris Algieri's Scores
1	10	9
2	9	10
3	10	9
4	9	10
5	10	9
6	10	8
7	10	9
8	10	9
9	10	9
10	--	--

Breaking Down Pacquiao vs. Algieri

There is a chance that Pacquiao will completely underestimate Algieri and end up on the wrong end of a decision loss, but Saturday’s fight is the perfect chance for Pac-Man to gain a decisive win heading into what is likely the final stretch of his illustrious career.

Pacquiao is one of the most dangerous fighters in boxing history, which is due in part to his speed and power. While most fighters who possess elite speed lose the power in their punches, Pac-Man has always been considered one of the pound-for-pound hardest hitters in the sport.

While there is no doubt that he has lost some of the speed that made him famous, the 35-year-old still has plenty of power and experience. As long as Pacquiao learned from the losses he suffered in 2012, he will be able to take advantage of his matchup with Algieri.

Pac-Man’s trainer, Freddie Roach, has been the one responsible for getting his fighter ready for each challenge, and the unique relationship between the two men has the legend preparing with the intensity he showed when he was an unknown.

When asked about the influence Roach has had on his career and his training, Pacquiao told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times: “The secret is that when we get to our training, I'm not the boss. You have to accept that's part of boxing...to stay here [as champion] for long, to improve more, the trainer is the boss. I believe in Freddie, I've trusted him from the beginning.”

Promoter Bob Arum also spoke to Pugmire about the relationship between Pacquiao and Roach, saying: “It's different, in that Manny still relies on Freddie as a pupil, while [Muhammad] Ali in the end relied on [Angelo] Dundee almost as a cheerleader. That says a lot about Manny, that he realizes Freddie's knowledge is much greater, and how Manny's still willing to learn.”

A Pac-Man still willing to train hard and listen to coaching advice is bad news for Algieri.

Boxing fans shouldn’t discount Algieri, though, as he is a tough fighter who has earned the right to be called undefeated. With a height and reach advantage of five inches and a previous win over the power-punching Ruslan Provodnikov, Algieri has the ability to win on the judges’ scorecards.

The key for Algieri will be keeping the fight at a distance. With his jab keeping Pacquiao honest, the rushing champion could leave himself open for the heavy crosses that Algieri can land on an approaching fighter. Using his defensive skill set to avoid taking too much damage, Algieri must avoid Pac-Man cutting off the ring and must keep the champion constantly moving.

Unfortunately for Algieri, Pacquiao has experienced this song and dance before.

Pac-Man understands what it takes to break through a defensive fighter’s game plan and will be focused on getting inside against Algieri. Whether it’s on the ropes, in the corner or in the middle of the ring, Pacquiao will be looking to get as close to his challenger as possible.

Once the champion finds his distance on the inside, he will unleash his unique mixture of power and speed to start doing damage. A few well-placed punches on the inside will leave their mark and eventually knock Algieri down in the sixth round.

If the fight lasts 10 rounds, Pacquiao will land another flurry of punches and finish Algieri with a 10th-round TKO. If Pac-Man is fighting mad, the finish could come even earlier.

Predicted Result: Pacquiao via 10th-round TKO.

*Stats via BoxRec.com. 

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