Hindi nababahala si Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach sa malaking kalamangan sa taas ng kababayan niyang si Chris Algieri na hahamon sa alaga niyang si Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao dahil sa boksing at hindi sa basketball magsusukatan ng galing ang dalawang boksingero na maghaharap sa Linggo sa Macau, China.
Inilarawan din niya na masyadong mahinang sumuntok ang tubong New York na boksingero.
Sa pagdidepensa ng WBO welterweight crown ni Pacquaio, gusto ni Roach na umiskor ng knockout ang Pilipino na huli nitong nagawa via 12 round TKO laban sa kasalukuyang WBC middleweight champion na si Miguel Angel Cotto ng Puerto Rico noong 2009.
“Personally, I don’t think height means anything. Hey, it’s not a basketball game. It’s a fight. Sometimes a guy who fights like Manny can make people get shorter in a hurry,” sabi ni Roach sa BoxingScene.com. “I look at Algieri and I give him 100 percent off guts. You have to if you saw his last fight [when he overcame a closed eye and two knockdowns].”
FL Liza Araneta-Marcos, nanguna sa pagbubukas ng ilang atraksyon sa Intramuros
Kinantiyawan pa niya si Algieri na mahinang klaseng boksingero dahil walang lakas ang mga suntok.
“But on the the other side, he is not much of a puncher. Don’t think he could break an egg and he’s very hittable,” ani Roach. “As an opponent, that’s good for our side. I know [Algieri’s trainer] Tim Lane says he will hurt Manny — and hurt him bad. But I don’t see how or with what. He just doesn’t have any tools for that.”
Sinabi naman ni Algieri sa Fightnews.com na handang-handa siya sa laban para agawin ang titulo ni Pacquiao.
“I worked hard for over 10 weeks in the most strenuous and productive training camp of my career,” giit ng Ameriano. “I had a lot of different sparring partners, including Zab Judah, giving me different looks to prepare me for anything Pacquiao decides to throw at me. I am 110% prepared for our fight.”
Ipinagmalaki pa ni Algieri na may mahusay siyang depensa kaya nanatiling magandang lalaki kahit boksingero.
“Every time I enter the ring I look to improve and perfect my master-boxer style of fighting -- utilizing the space inside the ring to my advantage,” dagdag ni Algieri. “Good defense is the key to preserving my handsomeness.”
