Chris Algieri is one of the smartest fighters in boxing. You can say what you want about his performance against Manny Pacquiao, a one-sided affair that saw Algieri on the canvas six times, but he is well educated and very intelligent. That might not help him become the best fighter on the planet, or even be competitive in a fight with the best, but if anyone can take something positive away from that kind of performance it is him.
In an interview with HitFirstBoxing.com published on their YouTube Channel, Algieri explained and rationalized his performance. He knows that this loss doesn’t have to define him and he is smart enough to dissect the learning experience in a positive manner.
“It was a learning experience, Manny is a great fighter and he really showed up that night, he fought a fantastic fight” Algieri told HitFirstBoxing. “I needed to adjust in the fight and didn’t necessarily make the right adjustments, but when you’re in there with a guy like that with such tremendous experience you learn fast. I feel like I’m a better fighter already. Luckily, I didn’t get hurt and I’m ready to get right back into training and look for another fight.”
It is always difficult to predict what a fighter will do next after losing on the big stage, and it is even more complicated when you suffer your first career loss in the process.
Algieri could opt to fight a “comeback” type of fight against a soft-touch opponent, or he could dive right back into the shark tank and try to land a significant fight with a dangerous opponent.
With his commercial notoriety at an all-time high, it won’t be difficult for him to land a significant opponent, especially after that performance because a top fighter may decide to take advantage of Algieri’s stature while maintaining the belief that he is an easy fight.
However, Algieri’s intelligence could play a factor in his comeback fight decision. He knows that momentum is a big deal in any sport and before he goes for the fences he needs to just put one on the board any way possible, even if that means a smaller payday against a lesser skilled opponent.
“Right now, I’m just trying to get back into the win column. I’ve never been the guy to avoid anybody. I’ll fight anybody between 140 and 147. I can really contest at any weight class in the 40s.”
