Minaliit ng trainer ng walang talong si World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri na si Tim Lane ang kakayahan ni dating pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao kasabay sa pahayag na dodominahan ng Amerikano ang Pinoy boxer sa laban bukas sa Macau, China.
"When we were offered the Manny Pacquiao fight, I believe this isn't as tough a fight as the Ruslan (Provodnikov) fight," pahayag ni Lane sa Fightnews.com. "Styles make fights and Pacquiao being a lefty, and what he brings to the table, I do not find that to be as challenging as it was Ruslan. So I believe that Chris will dominate Pacquiao more so than he did with Ruslan ... with two eyes this time."
Pero tinawanan lamang ito ng trainer ni Pacquiao na si Hall of Farner Freddie Roach na kumpiyansang patutulugin ng Pilipino si Algieri.
"Manny is punching better than ever and him coming back down to a better weight for him, instead of 147 he's fighting at 144, this fight. He's a better puncher at that weight and we're gonna have our first knockout in a while ... he feels the press has downplayed him a little bit because he hasn't knocked anyone out lately,” diin ni Roach. “He wants to get that fire back and he wants a knockout. This is the first time he ever told me that we will knock this guy out.”
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Nagbiro pa si Roach na hindi dapat bugbugin nang todo ni Pacquiao si Algieri para magkainteres si WBC at WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. sa unification bout sa Pilipino.
“Sometimes we have to tell Manny not to beat Algieri up too bad because then Mayweather’s just going to run a little bit more,” dagdag ni Roach. “He’s scared of us now, and he’s going to be scared of us after we destroy this guy. So Mayweather, you know, show some balls and step up to the plate.”
Nangako naman si Pacquiao na magiging agresibo sa laban kay Algieri.
“I believe that it’s going to be an exciting fight. We did our best in training and we’ve seen from the old days the speed, the power, the determination, the aggressiveness is back,” giit ni Pacquiao.
“The talking is done. The hard work is done. The training is done,” sagot naman ni Algeiri. “I’m not gonna say too much.. I prepared very well. I’m excited for this weekend…you don’t want to miss this.”
Samantala, tahasang sinabi ni sports analyst Al Mendoza, sa panayam sa kanya ng batikang anchorman ng DZMM na si Julius Babao noong Huwebes, na ‘mismatch’ ang magiging laban ni Pambansang Kamao kay Algieri.
Naging basehan ni Mendoza ang matinding record ni Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38KOs) kumpara sa walang talo na si Algieri (28-0-0, 8KOs).
Aniya’y ang ekspiriyensa ni Pacquiao sa lona ng parisukat at ang bilis nito ang magiging sandata ng una upang talunin ang Amerikanong boksingero.
“Ang layo ng 38KOs ni Manny kumpara sa 8KOs ni Algieri kaya malabong manalo ang Amerikano kahit pa ito’y ay matangkad. Tingnan na lamang natin ang ginawa ni Manny kina Oscar De La Hoya at Margarito, kapwa sila nabigo dahil sa sobrang bilis ng Pinoy icon,” pagmamalaki ni Mendoza hinggil sa magiging laban ni Pacquiao bukas.
