Kahit paborito ng maraming apisyonado sa boksing na manalo si Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao sa pagdepensa ng kanyang WBO welterweight crown kay Chris Algieri, naniniwala ang sikat na trainer at ESPN commentator Teddy Atlas na magwawagi ang kanyang kababayan sa sagupaan sa Nobyembre 22 sa Macau, China.
Sa panayam ni Victor Salazar ng ThaBoxingVoice.com, iginiit ni Atlas na dehado rin si Algieri nang hamunin si ex-WBO light welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov ng Russia ngunit tinalo ni Algieri sa puntos ang ka-stable ni Pacquiao sa Wild Card Gym ni Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.
“I don’t think it’s a mismatch,” ani Atlas. “You don’t know what Pacquiao’s going to be when he gets in the ring. He’s got a lot of distractions. He’s got a lot of miles on the odometer. He’s made a lot of money and he’s got a lot of problems supposedly. We don’t know what he’s going to be when he gets in that ring.”
Ibinida rin ni Atlas na walang talo si Algieri kaya malaki ang puhunan nito sa paghamon kay Pacquiao.
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“Chris is a young undefeated kid who doesn’t know how to lose yet,” giit ni Atlas. “Yeah, he may get run over but he might not get run over. He may just go and do what he did so far to get here, which is surprise people like he surprised Provodnikov even though I think he lost the fight. He still did a good job, showed a lot of heart, showed legs, and he’s got size. He can use those legs and size if he has the right fight plan.”
Pinuna rin ni Atlas na malaki ang ipinagbago ng estilo ni Pacquiao na hindi na ang tulad ng dati ay agresibong boksingero.
“I don’t see Pacquiao as being the real aggressive seek and destroy guy he used to be. He leaves you alone now, he’s not the in and out Pacquiao,” dagdag ni Atlas. “He doesn’t fight like he’s all over you. He gives you more opportunities for being there and gives you opportunities to do things and that’s what an undefeated kid who’s a huge underdog cold use and it could be what he just needs.”
