“I give Chris [Algieri] terrific chances on winning and I think he wins,” stated Star Boxing match maker Ron Katz in an exclusive interview with ThaBoxingVoice. This is not the first time someone from the Algieri camp expressed excitement around Algieri’s chance as Tim Lane at the San Francisco media day explained, “Chris is a real life superhero.” The phrase was ambiguos and would not be contextualized, but the meaning I gathered was Algieri was not used to failure and succeeds in any environment he is placed in. Katz shares a similar feeling.
“The kid is destined, he is catching [Pacquaio] at the right time and he is destined. [Algieri] is just one of those fighters that come along once and awhile, that no one thinks much of and obtain heights no one could even fathom.” Algieri, who faces Manny Pacquiao in Macau, China on November 22nd on HBO PPV, has one noticeable factor over Pacquiao and that’s size. This is so evident that Freddie Roach enlisted a fighter with a similar frame and size advantage to try and adjust to the range Algieri will bring by bringing in Stan Martyniouk, who is trained by Virgil Hunter.
As for the Oscar De La Hoya comparison Roach had talked about in regards to Algieri prior to the fight Katz disagrees. “Totally different [style]! Yeah, I mean maybe their physical stature is somewhat similar, but Chris is a big kid, Chris is bigger than Oscar. Oscar had the pedigree, but I haven’t met a fighter since Mike Tyson that has the confidence that [Chris Algieri] has.”
“Probably the best conditioned fighter in the business today, physical conditioning, endurance, I don’t think there is anyone who is better. He could fight 30 rounds if he had to,” Katz proclaimed. Algieri, who has a master’s degree around this very issue of nutrition, is known for his social media account eating lettuce wrapped foods that has had some pundits mock him. Coach Tim Lane explained, “If I didn’t know Chris Algieri, I would say he talks to good to be a fighter.” The overall vibe is that Algieri is just flat out special and defies expectation every time out.
“You always have to worry about the judges, but I think if it is a fair fight the kid does it.” The lack of neutral playing ground adds an element to the story that is Pacquiao vs. Algieri as Pacquaio will clearly be an idolized figure coming into the match due to his influence in the Philippines.
If he beats Pacquiao though Katz simply says forget the words “great white hope” and think of him more so as the next torch bearer for the sport. [Algieri] will bring fans to the screen that never thought about watching boxing that no other boxer since Tyson. He would be like a Sugar Ray Leonard. You would have an influx of crossover sports fans tuning in to watch him fight”
“[Algieri] is the Derek Jeter of boxing. He plays the game the right way, he says all the right things, acts off the field the right way, respects everybody.
