“I left kickboxing because I was a two time undefeated world champion because I and I had no money and no one knew who I was, I did what I wanted to do there.”
Those were the words of a very confident Chris Algieri last week when he met the New York at the final stop of his promotional tour with Manny Pacquiao. From kickboxing champion to boxing world champion and a shot to dethrone one of the greatest fighters of this era isn’t something that comes easy, but it came rather quickly. Algieri calls it “0-100, real quick, like the Drake song.”
And he’s right.
To begin the year Algieri was headlining a Friday Night Fights Card on ESPN against Emmanuel Taylor in what was supposed to be his toughest fight to date. He won that fight rather handily. Many considered him just another Friday Night Fights staple but he proved his worth in June when he got up the canvas twice against Ruslan Provodnikov and won a decision victory in his HBO Debut. Now he’s on the big stage where Algieri feels he belongs.
“I’m an undefeated world champion,” Algieri told ThaBoxingVoice.com. “I’m not trying to protect my 0, I’m not trying to protect my world title. Lot of guys are built up. I’ve never been built up; I’ve never had easy fights. I had to fight my way to where I am. I bled for what I got and I earned where I am. Guys are afraid to take risks. Be the underdog, it’s not the worst thing in the world.”
Algieri is a good looking guy and was asked if he felt like he would be this era’s great white hope.
Algieri smirked and said, “I really don’t want to play the race card. I’m half Latino anyway. My mom is from Argentina and my dad is from Italy. We’re both human beings, we’re men. Manny’s a man, I’m a ma, that’s what it’s all about.”
When he steps in the ring he’ll be facing one of the best to do it of this generation. Most of the experts feel that Algieri’s lack of power will be his Achilles heel against Pacquiao.
“There’s no concern to my power,” explained Algieri. “I know I’m strong, my opponents know I’m strong. If I had no power like people are trying to say. Ruslan would have run me over. No one’s ever been able to do that. I’m a physically strong guy. I know what I bring to the table in terms of power. Power’s not going to be the difference in this fight. Skill and technique are.”
Not to mention Algieri feel his size will help when he stares down Pacquiao across the ring.
“I’m the bigger man and I believe I’m the stronger man. Manny has power but I’m a bigger stronger guy. There’s a different between strength and punching power, 2 different things,” stated Algieri.
The final factor Algieri feels will benefit is that this will be his first full camp that he is strictly focused on boxing, no medical school, no part time job, just boxing.
Going to medical school and boxing is tough, both two different animals and tough to do at the same time. My focus is solely on boxing this time and this is the 1st camp that I’m able to do that”
