Pacquiao vs. Algieri Results: Highlights and Future Outlook for Both Fighters
Chris Algieri never really stood a chance Saturday. His night began badly and quickly unravelled from the moment he took his first punch from Manny Pacquiao in Macau.
Though he managed to last the full 12 rounds, Algieri barely laid a glove on his highly decorated opponent. HBO Boxing detailed how little offence Algieri actually managed:
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On the rare occasions he did throw, Algieri seemed content to use his jab as a safe haven. He clearly wanted to maximise his height and reach advantage.
The problem was there wasn't a great deal behind any of his jabs. Pacquiao is also too savvy a ring veteran for such a simplistic approach.
Algieri's case was not helped by the fact he spent a significant portion of the fight down on the canvas. The game challenger suffered six knockdowns, including two in Round 6.
Algieri also had to stand for a mandatory eight count in the ninth. Pacquiao consistently mixed quick body shots with strong hooks to wear his opponent down and send him sprawling:
Even before he stepped through the ropes, Algieri suffered. The WBO saw fit to take away his junior welterweight belt prior to this fight, per ESPN reporter Dan Rafael:
That decision, along with the comprehensive mauling dished out by Pacquiao, leaves Algieri's future outlook looking decidedly bleak. He suffered his first professional defeat, and the manner of the loss could resonate throughout his division.
He barely even got close to Pacquiao and certainly failed to hurt him when he did. That will raise doubts about Algieri's long-term suitability for elite-level bouts.
His next step will apparently be working to return to his more natural weight of 140 pounds, per Top Rank Boxing:
Certainly, carrying some extra weight did nothing to aid Algieri's movement or power against Pacquiao.
Of course, Pacquiao's status as the benchmark for marquee fights across multiple weight divisions was never in doubt. His emphatic win reaffirmed his status as a world-class welterweight.
The question now is, Will it finally lead to a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.? That's the bout most fans want to see. Sadly, neither fighter has sounded particularly committed to the idea for quite some time.
Prior to Pacquiao's dismantling of Algieri, Mayweather was typically and frustratingly nonchalant about the possibility of this fight finally happening, per ESPN.com reporter Dan Rafael: "If it happens, it happens. You guys can keep asking the same questions over and over. I move when I want to, where I want to, and how I want to. Hopefully, it's next."
That's hardly the most inspiring or convincing endorsement. It's probably not a good idea to hold your breath over the prospect of this one actually taking place.
However, unlike Mayweather, Pacquiao was at least making the right noises while he basked in his victory over Algieri, per Rafael:
For the moment though, that headline-making tussle seems as far off as it's ever been. So Pacquiao will likely have to look elsewhere for his next opponent.
Bleacher Report's Lyle Fitzsimmons suggests Juan Manuel Marquez as the safe choice. Fitzsimmons notes how the Mexican scrapper, who's now in his forties, could get a fifth fight with Pacquiao if he wants it.
Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran indicated Marquez does indeed want another meeting with Pacquiao, per Nick Giongco of FightNews.com: “We’ll see what happens after this fight. But I will not force him. He (Marquez) wants a fifth title, and Manny has it."
Whether the fans would want to see yet another Marquez-Pacquiao meeting is another story altogether.
One fighter who would draw an interested audience, should he step in the ring with Pacquiao, is Danny Garcia. Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach is intrigued by the problems Garcia would cause his fighter, per Lem Satterfield of The Ring: "Garcia’s a tough guy. One thing about Garcia, he will throw. He’s a heavy puncher. Garcia knocked out Amir Khan. I think that he’s a very good opponent for Manny Pacquiao. The thing is, Manny would have to box a little more and not exchange with him so much."
A clash of styles between Pacquiao's more methodical style and Garcia's brute force punching would make for an entertaining fight. The former would likely relish the chance to prove he still has enough left to see off a younger star.
Pacquiao did that against Algieri. He proved that while he doesn't quite have the fearsome power he once had, he's still a heavy and skilled hitter.
Pacquiao provided ample evidence of that when he landed a left hook that buckled Algieri's legs in Round 9. Another knockdown followed in the 10th, as the fight turned into extended punishment for Algieri.
The end mercifully came soon, per Box Nation:
Hopefully, Pacquiao's tough talk regarding Mayweather can now coax some movement on what would be a fitting fight to cap a pair of illustrious careers.
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