Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri: Fight Results and Outlook for Both Star Boxers

Manny Pacquiao was rarely threatened by Chris Algieri as he cruised to his third straight victory by unanimous decision. The biggest question now is where both fighters go from here after a one-sided bout that illustrated a lot about each boxer.

The only disappointing factor for Pacquiao is that he couldn't finish off his previously undefeated opponent early. He was in firm control throughout the fight and had a couple of golden opportunities to earn his first knockout since 2009, but he came up a bit short.

Still, it was a dominant performance by the eight-division world champion, as noted by Bryan Armen Graham of Mic News:

The scorecards further showcased the lopsided nature of the main event:

Judge	Winner	Score
Michael Pernick	Pacquiao	120-102
Levi Martinez	Pacquiao	119-103
Patrick Morley	Pacquiao	119-103

No controversy, no question marks, just a well-rounded showing to defend the WBO welterweight title by Pac-Man.

After the fight, Algieri admitted things didn't go as he had hoped. But he also said it was a learning experience as he begins to look toward the future:

The bottom line for the New York native is that he isn't on Pacquiao's level. At least, not yet. The fight represented a serious increase in the level of competition, and he didn't have the weapons necessary to seriously challenge an elite opponent.

That was especially obvious in the later rounds. By that point, it was clear Algieri was going to need a knockout after getting crushed during the first half of the bout. Despite that, he was unable to string any offensive flurries together to get Pac-Man on his heels.

While there's no shame in a 20-1 record, with the only loss coming to a top fighter, Algieri needs to take a step or two back down the ladder. If he can take the lessons learned, make the necessary changes and win a few more mid-range fights, perhaps he'll get another chance in the spotlight.

As for Pacquiao, the focus has once again shifted to Floyd Mayweather.

A marquee battle between the two biggest stars in the sport right now has been talked about plenty of times in the past. Differences between the two sides have prevented a deal from being made, though. Whether that will change this time around is unclear.

The Pacquiao camp is pushing for an agreement to be made. George Willis of the New York Post passed along Pac-Man's thoughts on the subject.

"I think it's time to make that fight happen," Pacquiao said. "The fans really deserve that fight. It's time to say yes, so people can prepare for early next year."

Unfortunately, they didn't meet when they were both closer to their peak a few years ago. But this is a situation where the phrase "better late than never" comes into play.

It goes both ways, too. ESPN's First Take provided remarks from Stephen A. Smith about what it would mean for Mayweather's legacy if he's the one who sidesteps the potential superfight:

For a brief period, it looked like any chance of the fight slipped away when Pacquiao lost two straight bouts. He's rebounded nicely, however, and has once again proven himself as a worthy competitor for Mayweather, should the latter want to take on the challenge.

The fight should happen. Alas, that doesn't mean it will. If it doesn't, both fighters will have to look elsewhere for potential foes. There's nobody else on the boxing landscape right now who would help generate nearly as much hype as these two fighting each other.

Now, it's simply a waiting game for boxing fans around the globe.