If the media coverage surrounding the Pacquiao-Algieri fight on Nov. 22 in Macau is any indicator, it's that both boxers may have bigger things to look forward to depending on the outcome.
For Manny Pacquiao, a win against Chris Algieri may bring renewed calls and interest for Floyd Mayweather to fight him. If Algieri wins, however, it would make him an important star in the boxing community.
"People seem to think I've come out of nowhere," Algieri said in a USA Today article. "I've been an underdog in a lot of fights, and this one is no different."
According to a Reuters article, the American challenger represents a younger, hungrier generation of boxers hoping to take down the legendary Filipino boxer. However, Pacquiao's coach Freddie Roach thinks that although Algieri is known for his hard-hitting toughness, Pacquiao has the necessary tools to keep his welterweight crown and WBO title.
"He's a tough kid and he's strong," Roach said. "He doesn't have the speed and the skills Manny has. But he has the power."
Reuters reported that Algieri managed to score his shot at Pacquiao thanks to his 20-0 record, which came when he got off the canvas twice in the first round and scored a split decision victory over Russian Ruslan Provodnikov in June. On the other hand, Pacquiao's 20 years' worth of professional boxing experience and 56-5-2 record has beaten high-profile boxers such as Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya.
Roach noted that Pacquiao has successfully beaten younger boxers before him.
"A lot of the guys we fought in the past are retired now," Roach said. "We're fighting the new generation. Rios was the first step. And then Bradley. These guys are younger and hungrier."
Pacquiao's opponent has an unusual background for a professional boxer. USA Today reports that Algieri, a college graduate who wants to become a doctor, lives in his parents' basement in New York and has a regular job as a personal trainer along with a martial arts background.
In contrast, Bleacher Report columnist Tyler Conway noted that although Pacquiao may be much older than Algieri, he is still one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of this generation.
"Even at 75 percent of the skill level he had a half-decade ago, Pacquiao is still better than 99.8 percent of boxers on this planet," Conway wrote. "He's powerful, smart and has become a far better tactical fighter as his career has gone along."
Even though the odds may be stacked against him, Algieri thinks he can pull of a win against Pacquiao and has been preparing for the fight accordingly.
"Everything leading up to this fight has been a kind of dress rehearsal for the big show," Algieri said. "But I guess we won't really know until the 22nd."
