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The contract is all but finalized for the bout between multiple division titlist Manny Pacquiao 56-5-2 (38 KO’s) and young upstart champion Chris Algieri 20-0 (8 KO’s).
This fight scheduled for November 22nd, at Pacquiao’s home away from home Macai, China. The Filipino Congressman looks to ehh… um.. wait why is Pacquiao fighting Algieri?
With the cold war between Golden Boy and Top Rank simmering down, there’s hope of seeing Pacquiao in some interesting match-ups in the future.
And while a treaty between the two companies has not been signed yet, currently, we know Pacquiao has limited options on who he can face.
Recently resigning with Top Rank, his options at welterweight would include: Juan Manuel Marquez for a ninth time, a third fight with Timothy Bradley, a rematch with Brandon Rios, or a fight with Mike Alvarado.
There is not much demand for a third fight with Bradley, Rios arguably never deserved a shot in the first place, Pacquiao and Marquez fought a thousand times already and Alvarado is coming off a decisive defeat.
Again, limited options.
No disrespect intended to the newly crowned WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Algieri. He’s a good fighter, has good boxing skills, as he showed against Ruslan Provodnikov.
But has Algieri really earned a shot at one of boxing’s biggest attractions?
Algieri lacks experience, we have yet to see him against elite opposition. Pacquiao certainly fits the category of elite, some may even label him legendary.
On paper, many would think Pacquiao has the edge, mostly because no one really knows who Algieri is.
He is not popular, the biggest name Algieri beat (Provodnikov) is not even a household name.
Which brings up the reason why this is a lose-lose situation for Pacquiao.
Pay-per-view buys are going to be hard to come by with this fight. Rios-Pac did not do great numbers. Pacquiao will spend majority of his camp isolated in the Philippines, so the American public will not see him.
Algieri is a likeable guy, he does not have the douche-bag persona to sell a fight.
He could play the likeable underdog role, but that does not necessarily sell tickets, especially if his opponent Pacquiao, is widely admired across the globe.
At the end of the day, no one envisions Algieri as a serious threat. The ppv may not sell too well.
What if the unthinkable happens and Algieri manages to score the upset? The hailstorm of criticism would be tremendous.
The critics, various detractors would have plenty of fuel and ammunition to rip into Pacquiao. The one positive, between now and if Pacquiao wins, is the opportunity for his promoter to set up a huge fight for 2015.
Make no mistake, Pacquiao is expected to win this fight.
By 2015, the relationship between Top Rank and Golden Boy may be on better terms, even Floyd Mayweather hinted at a big surprise for boxing fans in 2015.
While we can hold our breath in regards to that fight materializing, 2015 should have some better options for Pacquiao.
