Pacquiao landed 121 more punches than Algieri

Not only did Manny Pacquiao topple Chris Algieri six times, he also outworked Long Island’s favorite son by more than 120 punches.

Compubox stats showed that Pacquiao was the busier fighter during his WBO welterweight title defense against Algieri in Macau.

Pacquiao threw a total of 669 punches, of which 229 landed. Algieri, for his part, only landed 108 of his 469 punches. This means, the Filipino connected 121 more punches than his American counterpart.

Algieri is known as a volume puncher due to his boxing-counterpunching style. He averaged 87.9 punches per round in his last four bouts prior the Pacquiao fight.

During his junior welterweight clash against Ruslan Provodnikov last June, he connected 288 out of 993 punches. Nearly half of those were jabs that he used to maintain his distance against the Russian brawler.

In comparison, Provodnikov threw 776 punches and connected only 205, most of which were power punches.

But Algieri’s output noticeably went down when he went on full defensive mode against Pacquiao.

Pacquiao chased him all throughout the fight and knocked him down six times.

"I was disappointed by Algieri. All he did was run,” Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach said in Yahoo! Sports. “He didn't show the heart or the [expletive] he did versus Ruslan Provodnikov."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Round-by-Round: Pacquiao vs Algieri

Manny Pacquiao shut out Chris Algieri via unanimous decision to retain the WBO welterweight belt at the jampacked Cotai Arena in the luxurious Venetian Macau.

Judges scored the fight 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102, all in favor of the eight-division champion.

The Filipino boxer racked his 57th career win and is now looking forward for a possible clash against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015.

Check out how the fight panned out:

Round 1

Algieri tried to establish his jab. Pacquiao briefly cornered Algieri, but Algieri moved out of trouble. Algieri tried to stay out of range. Pacquiao gave chase. That was a feeling out round for both Pacquiao
and Algieri.

Round 2

Pacquiao landed a combination but Algieri again dodged out of trouble. Algieri now jabbing at Pacquiao. Algieri went down! Algieri beat the count, and fight continued. Pacquiao went to the body of Algieri then connected to the head. Pacquiao again went to the body, Algieri just tried to avoid the Pacman's punches. A 10-8 round for Pacquiao because of the knockdown.

Round 3

Pacquiao moved forward, landed a couple of shots. Algieri tried to be more active now. Algieri connected with a lead right, Pacquiao shook it off. Pacquiao connected to the body again, and connected on a combo.

Round 4
Algieri again jabbed, but Pacquiao blocked his blows with his gloves. Pacman again going to the body of Algieri. Pacquiao put his punches
together very well, connected several times on Algieri. He landed a huge uppercut. Pacquiao with three punches using his left hand. Algieri tried to stay away but Pacquiao continued to connect.

Round 5

Algieri jabbed with his left, trying to set up the right hand. Pacquiao missed with a hook. Algieri warned to keep them up. Algeri missed with a right and Pacquiao was keeping the pressure on him. Good exchange by both fighters. Algieri's movement was making Pacquiao miss but Algieri wasn't landing much either. Pacquiao was more active.

Round 6

Algieri again tried to establish his jab to set-up his right. Pacquiao gave chase and lands a couple. Algieri again warned for low blows. That's his second warning. Algieri went down again! Pacquiao clearly hurt Algieri there. Algieri again down for the second time in the round! Algieri argued it was a slip but referee gave him a count. Algieri just trying to move out of danger now. Two knockdowns for Pacquiao in the sixth round.

Round 7

Algieri looked to be more active, tried to go to the body of Pacquiao. Pacquiao backed Algieri on the ropes, landed a left hand. He landed
another left straight in the middle of the ring. Pacquiao with a combination to the head. Algieri missed, then Pacquiao lands another combination. Algieri looked like he's wobbling, but he landed to the body of Pacquiao.

Round 8

Pacquiao with a combination, Algieri missed a hook. Algieri pumped the left jab. Algieri with a short right hand, Pacquiao countered with a combination. Pacquiao just shrugged off Algieri's punches. Algieri more active in this round but Pacquiao still out-landed him.

Round 9
Pacquiao targetted the head, got a left hand through and connected. Algieri tried a hook but Pacquiao blocked it with his glove. Algieri down again! Algieri held on, the referee called another knockdown. Pacquiao went for the kill. Algieri fought back and survived the round.

Round 10

Pacquiao simply looked more explosive than Algieri. The American looked wobbly early in the 10th. Pacquiao wth another straight and Algieri wobbled again. Algieri clearly felt Pacquiao's punches. He wasn't throwing anything, and Pacquiao gave chase. Algieri went down again! Algieri has been down six times in this fight.

Round 11

Algieri again became active, but Pacquiao kept moving forward. Pacquiao landed to the head of Algieri again. Algieri with a right that glanced off Pacquiao's glove. Algieri clinched. Pacquiao made Algieri miss and then caught him with a right.

Round 12
Algieri's trainer tried to encourage him. Algieri with a body shot. Pacquiao with a left hand. Pacquiao with another left to the head. Pacquiao was not slowing down, still looked for the knockout. Algieri however was moving well. Fight ended. Pacquiao knocked down Algieri six times but the American survived.

Judges scored the fight 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102 for Pacquiao, who retained his WBO welterweight title.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Algieri claims only one knockdown was legitimate

American boxer Chris Algieri tasted the canvas six times as he found himself thoroughly out-classed by Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao in their welterweight title fight at the Cotai Arena in Macau on Sunday.

In what was the biggest fight of his career, Algieri came up woefully short, as he was never able to even trouble Pacquiao. The "Pacman" won a wide decision, with scores of 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102.

Yet Algieri cut a defiant picture at the end of the fight, claiming only one of Pacquiao's six knockdowns was legitimate.

"The only one that was a legitimate knockdown was when we traded left hooks (in the ninth round) and I went down," Algieri said in a post-fight interview. "That was the only shot that really hurt me."

"I thought it was my best round of the fight at that point, and I sat down on a left hook," he added.

But Pacquiao, whose hand-speed and punching power were evident all throughout, was much faster and unleashed a left cross of his own that sent Algieri tumbling to the canvas.

"That was the only shot that hurt me," Algieri claimed. "I had my legs pretty good when I got up."

Algieri, however, was knocked down again shortly after as Pacquiao tried to go for the kill and landed a flurry of punches. The American, however, managed to remain standing until the final bell, and denied Pacquiao what would have been his first knockout win since 2009.

Pacquiao said he tried to go for the knockout although he also tried to be more careful and avoid making a misstep -- the way he did against Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012 when he was memorably knocked out with a second to go in the sixth round.

Algieri, however, believes that it was his own punching power that caused Pacquiao to hold back.

"I've hurt every fight I've fought," he said. "I think I caught him with a few shots that made him think. In the last round, I know his corner was imploring him to turn it on and he was throwing bombs… (But) I think I caught him with a few counter shots on the way in."

Algieri did give Pacquiao credit, saying the Filipino was "the best in the world at fighting like Manny Pacquiao."

"His start and stop is great, and he has perfected fighting like Manny Pacquiao," said the American.

"It's not so much the punching power. It's how he mixes the punches. Like I said, he's the best in the world at fighting like Manny Pacquiao, and it's a very, very unique style," said Algieri, who also called the Filipino champ a "hell of a fighter."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Analysts weigh in on Pacquiao-Algieri bout

MANILA, Philippines – Kill the body and the head will fall.

Fight analysts believe that this will be Manny Pacquiao’s strategy when he clashes with a taller Chris Algieri on Sunday.

There is so much talk about Algieri and Pacquiao's height difference, but boxing commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz doesn’t think the American’s reach is an advantage.

“I saw his fight with Emmanuel Taylor and Jose Peralta,” Nathanielsz said on DZMM’s “Fast Break” of the 5’10” Algieri. “The moment Peralta pushed him on the ropes and worked on the body, nahihirapan na siya.”

“Pacquiao will do the same thing. To me, he will get under the jab and work the body. Tapos na ang boxing.”

Height may be an advantage in some sports, but it’s different in boxing, according to the veteran fight analyst.

“Iyung sinasabi nilang height advantage, ang sabi ko sa kanila, 'This is not basketball, this is boxing.'''

For his part, sports analyst Ed Tolentino said experience will play a major factor in the WBO welterweight fight.

Algieri was not beaten in all his 20 fights, most of which took place in his home town in New York.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, had been into 63 fights, winning in 56 of them and losing in 5.

“If you look at the record of Pacquiao in his last few fights, it is either against reigning or former world champions. The last time he fought a contender was against Jorge Solis in 2007,” said Tolentino.

“This is the first time after 14 fights na he's taking on a medyo lesser opponent, pero champion. Pero kung ikumpara naman natin kay [Juan Manuel] Marquez, [Miguel] Cotto, Shane Mosley, mukhang malayo [si Algieri] eh.''

Algieri's biggest payday

If there’s one thing that makes Algieri intriguing to fight fans, it’s his life story.

“’Yung kanyang determination is deeply rooted sa background niya,” said Tolentino.

“This is a guy who live with his mother and father and trains at the basement of the family home, who rides a 2005 Honda accord ng 190,000+ miles na ang natakbo. This guy, to earn extra money, nagta-trabaho bilang conditioning coach ng ilang mga executive. Ganun ang kanyang pinanggalingan.”

Algieri will be getting the biggest payday of his career with a guaranteed $1 million against Pacquiao. His highest pay before that was $100,000 against Ruslan Provodnikov.

“Before that it was only $15,000,” Tolentino said. “Sabi nga nila he’s the real-life Rocky.”

Algieri got the chance to fight Pacquiao when he survived two first-round knockdowns to complete a split decision win against a heavy handed Provodnikov last June.

That victory gave the New Yorker the WBO junior welterweight crown.

In an interview, Pacquiao said Algieri's resilience is what helped him win the Provodnikov fight.


"I watched his fight with Ruslan, he's tough there. He deserved this fight," said the eight-division champion who was interviewed together with Algieri on ESPN.

Algieri said he is happy to be given the chance to square off with one of the world biggest boxing superstars, describing it as a once in a lifetime experience.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime, every young fighter dream of being a world champion. I did that the last time when I beat Ruslan Provodnikov, now I get to fight the best of the world," he said.

The fight will take place at an expected jam-packed Cotai Arena in The Venetian Macau.

China's Zou Shiming and Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym, Vasyl Lomachenko and Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo, and Jessie Vargas and Antonio DeMarco will face each other in the undercard fights.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao relaxed as Algieri has weighty problem

MACAU - Manny Pacquiao weighed in at 143.8lb Saturday for his welterweight world title defence, but his opponent Chris Algieri had trouble on the scales ahead of Sunday's fight.

Undefeated American Algieri could not make the catchweight limit of 144lb and was still 0.20lb over after a second attempt despite stripping down to his bare essentials at the Saturday morning weigh-in (Friday night in the US) at the Venetian Macau's Cotai Arena.

Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) was given two hours to sweat off the remaining weight and came back for a third attempt which saw him finally go under at 143.6lb.

Despite the hiccup, which would have thrown Algieri's final preparations for Sunday's fight slightly behind schedule, the former kickboxer from Long Island predicted he would win.

"I did all the hard work I needed to do," said Algieri. "I know I can count on my skills to do it. This is dream come true and I'm ready to rock."

Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) has been relaxed and confident all week in Macau. The Filipino eight-weight world champion has been impressing all who have watched him train with the intensity and power he has shown in his workouts.

"I've been preparing like the early days in my career," said Pacquiao at the weigh-in. "I want to get back the hungriness and the aggressiveness that I had when I was young."

Earlier this week Pacquiao had said he enjoyed fighting unbeaten boxers, such as Algieri, because he liked to teach them what it is like to lose. But on Saturday the Sarangani province congressman was more diplomatic.

"I like to fight undefeated fighters like Algieri because it's an honour to be in a fight like that," Pacquiao said.

Before Pacquiao and Algieri square off for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title at around noon local time (0400GMT) Chinese double Olympic gold medallist flyweight Zou Shiming (5-0, 1 KO) will take on Thailand's Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym (27-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round final eliminator for a world title shot.

Kwanpichit, an uncanny Pacquiao look-alike dubbed 'mini-Manny' by the media, and Zou both weighed in right on the 112lb flyweight limit.

There are two other world title contests on the undercard.

WBO featherweight champion and double Olympic gold medallist Vasyl Lomachenko (2-1, 1 KO) defends his title against Thailand's Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo (52-1, 33 KOs) with both exactly on the 126lb limit.

World Boxing Association super lightweight champion Jessie Vargas from Las Vegas (25-0, 9 KOs) weighed in on the 140lb limit for his defence against Mexico's Antonio DeMarco (31-3-1, 23 KOs) who was a little lighter at 139.3lb.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

UFC back in Macau, set for Singapore debut

SINGAPORE - The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced on Thursday it has signed a multi-year deal with venues in Macau and Singapore to stage mixed martial arts events in the region from next year.

The UFC said it would hold events at The Venetian resort hotel in Macau and Singapore's Marina Bay Sands from 2014, and produce a Chinese version of its reality show The Ultimate Fighter.

The organisation made its first foray into Greater China last year with a glitzy event in Macau and Mark Fischer, the UFC's Asia chief, told Reuters the success of that event had been a springboard to their latest expansion plans.

"The event in Macau was a tremendous success and I think it was an eye-opener for both the fans and the UFC," Fischer told Reuters by telephone from Beijing.

"We'll be bringing at least one live fight event to the Singapore Marina Bay Sands, with the first one coming early first quarter next year.

"We'll have well-known fighters on the main card but we want to fill the card with more Asian fighters. We really want to build a base and... create more relevance with local audiences."

Fischer, who was one of the driving forces behind the National Basketball Association's growth in China, said The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality show could be key in cracking the Chinese market.

"We are still at the investment stage but we do see tremendous long-term potential here. TUF China is a watershed, we believe it's going to do more for growing the brand and the sport of MMA among the Greater China audience than any other programme to date.

"In terms of making money, I'm sure Asia is going to be very fruitful but right now we still consider it a building phase, but this is a huge step in that build."

Asia spread

One of the fastest-growing sports in the world, MMA is a full contact combat sport that allows fighters to utilize techniques from both striking and grappling martial arts such as boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, wrestling and judo.

Already hugely popular in mature MMA markets such as the United States, Brazil, Japan and Canada, the UFC is looking to extend its reach throughout Asia.

Clearly looking to hook Chinese viewers, the UFC statement said applicants for The Ultimate Fighter show must "speak Mandarin, be of Chinese decent and able to compete as a featherweight, lightweight or welterweight".

The show features up-and-coming mixed martial artists living and training together, and competing with each other for a UFC contract. The U.S. version catapulted the UFC, and the sport, into the mainstream in 2005.

"It's definitely a series targeted at a Chinese audience," said Fischer, adding that the sport's following there had so far been built on provincial television channels and on Internet streaming sites.

"But it's been relatively niche, and we think this series is going to spread that niche following to more of a mainstream one."

As to when the UFC would hold events on the Chinese mainland, Fischer said they first had to reach a critical mass.

"It's a question of strategy and how aggressive we want to get. We've had a very deliberate and patient strategy to date, and TUF is a very big step in the middle of that strategy.

"Certainly in the longer term we want to hold regular events here, but we need to do it at the right time. We want to build up demand, build up a very strong understanding of the sport, before we bring the live events here."

With the growing popularity of Asian fighters such as the "Korean Zombie" Jung Chan-sung, Kim Dong-hyun and Yushin Okami, Fischer said the UFC was looking at several other cities in the region to host events.

"Seoul and Jakarta, no firm plans yet but we are in discussions in both of those cities," he added.

"Manila is in our sights, we're in advanced talks with Tokyo and I guess to round it out would be Bangkok. There's lots of interest throughout the region but those are the key cities for 2014." (Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com