Malaki ang paniniwala ng dating sparring partner ni Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao na si ex- IBF welterweight title holder Shawn Porter na magwawagi sa puntos ang Pilipino sa laban sa kababayan niyang si Chris Algieri sa Nobyembre 22 sa Macau, China.
“I am looking forward to this fight. Algieri has shown that he has some good footwork and some good boxing ability,” sinabi ni Porter sa BoxingScene.com. “I like that about him. He is a great kid.”
Pero iginiit ni Porter na mahihirapan si Algieri na talunin ang Pilipinong marami nang karanasan sa ibabaw ng lona ng parisukat.
“For Manny, we know his statistics and what he has done in the ring,” giit ni Porter.” “Overall, this is going to be a more exciting fight than people are expecting. I do expect this to be a decision in Manny’s favor.”
Bukod dito, nilinaw ni Porter na malaki ang kaibahan ni Pacquiao sa tinalo ni Algieri na si dating WBO light welterweight ruler Ruslan Provodnikov ng Russia.
“He is a big underdog because people are not aware of who he is. Take into account that Manny does not fight like Provodnikov and in many ways fights better,” sambit ni Porter na iginiit din na tiyak na pupuntiryahin ni Pacquiao ang kanang mata ni Algieri na napaputok ni Provodnikov. “You expect the things that did happen to Algieri (in Provodnikov bout) to be way worse.”
Gayunman, maaring mapatunayan ni Algieri sa paghamon kay Pacquiao na mahusay siyang boksingero.
“I think he is going to come in with a good head. He is going to be strong and show everybody that he is a good boxer,” giit ni Porter na naniniwalang hindi problema kay Pacquiao kung dehado sa taas kay Algieri.
“I do not think size will be an issue,” ani Porter. “Manny is short, but he is also a southpaw. At the end of the day, Manny will be able to handle the range and height and it will not be much of a problem.”
Nalalabuan din si Porter kung haharapin ni WBC at WBA welterweight titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr. si Pacquiao.
“I don’t know,” dagdag ni Porter. “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, there are plenty of bigger fights out there in the world.”