Pacquiao vs. Algieri Undercard: Schedule, Top Storylines Ahead of Main Event
Make no mistake, Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) can't afford a letdown when he puts his WBO welterweight title on the line against Chris Algieri (20-0-0, 8 KOs) on Saturday night at the Venetian Macao in Macau, China.
The 35-year-old Filipino is already a pugilistic legend for his punishing, aggressive style and holding titles in eight different weight classes. However, his star has fallen as of late. He lost to both Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, with the latter fight ending with an ignominious knockout.
Pacquiao has done well to battle back, winning his last two matches. However, slipping up against Algieri, a relatively unknown boxer, would prove to be highly damaging for a boxer who in all likelihood doesn't have more than a few big fight nights left in him.
Pacquiao has stated that his ferocious, aggressive style will be on display in Macau.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
"My killer instinct is back and victory will be ours," he said, via a report from BBC Sport.
Algieri, fighting for the first time outside of his native New York, appears to be unfazed by the pressure.
"I know I did all the hard work I needed to do,” Algieri said, via the New York Post's George Willis. “I’m ready to roll."
Here is a complete look at the card for the highly anticipated fight night in Macau, followed by some of the storylines to follow before the pay-pier-view showdown.
| Weight Class | Boxer 1 | Boxer 2 |
| Flyweight | Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym | Zou Shiming |
| Featherweight | Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo | Vasyl Lomachenko |
| Super Lightweight | Antonio DeMarco | Jessie Vargas |
| Super Flyweight | Fadhili Majiha | Jerwin Ancajas |
| Super Flyweight | Espinos Sabu | Rex Tso |
| Super Welterweight | Stephen Attard | Kuok Kun Ng |
| Light Heavyweight | Andrew Robinson | Qu Peng |
| Welterweight | Manny Pacquiao | Chris Algieri |
How Will Algieri Handle Weigh In Mishap?
It seems no high profile boxing match is completely without controversy, and Algieri created a stir when he initially failed to meet the 144-pound catchweight for this welterweight bout, per USA Today's Martin Rodgers.
He was 0.2 pounds over on his second attempt, per SportsCenter:
Algieri would eventually make weight, but it left him open to criticism.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, couldn't help but take a jab at Algieri's background as a holder of a master's degree in clinical nutrition.
It is pretty embarrassing for him," said Roach, via Rodgers. "He is supposed to be a health and nutrition expert."
Algieri was aware he was pushing up against the weight limit and was searching for an explanation afterward.
"I wanted to be close to the limit, and I would rather eat and feel good than be all sucked up and drained," Algieri said, per Rodgers. "But it is strange because I weighed in on the limit on the same set of scales in the hotel. Maybe the scales were affected when they were brought over to the arena."
The "King of New York" will have to shrug off the snide remarks and make sure he's operating at an optimal level on Saturday. Failing to initially make weight is an unnecessary distraction for any fighter. It's also worth noting that Algieri isn't used to fighting as a welterweight.
Algieri weighed in at 140 pounds for his last bout, a split-decision victory over Ruslan Provodnikov that won him the WBO light welterweight title.
It will be interesting to see if the slight weight increase has any effect on his fighting style. Algieri can't afford to be even slightly off once he steps into the ring with Pacquiao.
Will Pacquiao Finally Fight Mayweather?
No disrespect to Algieri, who has earned his chance to break into the top ranks of boxing, but many fans will be looking at this Pacquiao fight as a possible springboard for the long-awaited tussle with Floyd Mayweather, the undefeated legend.
Once again, word regarding this potential blockbuster bout—which many fans would likely have rather seen roughly five years ago—has surfaced in the media churn leading up to Saturday night.
"If Pacquiao wins and then the Mayweather fight still doesn't happen," said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, via Newsday's Greg Logan, "I would feel I had failed as a promoter. Even though it takes two to rumble, I will, in history, be one of those blamed for the fight not happening."
Of course, Mayweather-Pacquiao almost certainly wouldn't happen if Pacquiao lost. In case of that unlikely event, there is the possibility of a rematch between Pacquiao and Algieri, an outcome that Arum would accept.
"That's boxing. I have a rematch with Algieri. Pay-per-view would be even stronger than for this fight," he said, via Logan.
That definitely isn't the fight casual, or even hardcore, boxing fans are clamoring for, but it would prove to be compelling. At the very least, Pacquiao is attempting to end his career on a strong note. A loss to Algieri would require some sort of closure for one of the better brawlers in boxing.
Pac Man must be wary of looking for bigger and better opportunities lest Algieri use his jab and length to score an upset victory.
Can Zou Shiming Get China Behind Boxing?
Not all storylines revolve around the main event. Considering the fight takes place in Macau, a special administrative region of China, one can expect fans, and promoters, to be intently focused on flyweight Zou Shiming.
The 33-year-old brings a sterling amateur record to the table, with two Olympic gold medals in boxing. As a pro, he has five wins in five total bouts with one coming via knockout. Shiming can get the crowd riled up before the main event, and perhaps raise the profile of boxing in China.
He’s the poster boy for boxing in China,” said Arum, who represents Shiming, per Joe DePaolo of The New York Times. “Manny is very popular. But if you went around and talked to the audience, Zou Shiming is No. 1.”
Sports On Earth's Geoffrey Gray wrote about the potential of Shiming to tap into new markets in July 2014:
""
Shiming is not only from China, he's a national hero there, making him the potential gateway to a promising and untapped market for boxing. The mega casinos in Macau are willing to pay promoters far higher fees to stage bouts than Las Vegas venues will pay, and like the wide-eyed miners who once trekked up to Alaska with their sifting pans looking for gold, boxing promoters are racking up their air miles flying to China and looking for ways to sell boxing to the Far East.
A Pacquiao undercard at the Cotai Arena in Macau is a fine showcasing for an exciting talent.
His opponent on Saturday is the 5'2" Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym, a Thai fighter who bears an uncanny resemblance to Pacquiao himself. Onesongchaigym is 27-0-2 in his career, but 13 of those fights have come against boxers making their debuts as professionals, per BoxRec.com.
Shiming's defense and experience in big, high-pressure bouts should see him earn an important victory, one that could potentially open up a gigantic new market for boxing promoters.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
