The sales chart and the odds for the WBO welterweight championship slated in Macau next November remain at a sorry standstill.
A second check with the bookmakers this week showed American Chris Algieri, challenger to WBO titlist Manny Pacquiao, was still a 16-1 underdog against the Filipino superhero.
On Friday, the 30-year-old Algieri, holder of the WBO junior welterweight crown, tried to say something new.
“I hit a lot harder than people think, ” Algieri, 20-0, told the Manila Standard.
It didn’t help.
The charts stood, and the fact remained that, out of 20 victories, Algieri only has 8 KOs.
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Obviously bothered, if not irritated, Top Rank big boss Bob Arum had told Pacquiao to drop the monkey business and prepare to train in earnest at GenSan.
Pacquiao, maybe without meaning to, had made his next bout appear partly a rest-and-recreation (R&R) break.
Arum did not wince at first, but it was not very funny when Pacquiao announced he would be training for his November world title defense, together with his Kia basketball team in the PBA, under the same roof in a Metro Manila facility.
“My players will train as hard as I do—together with me,” Pacquiao had declared.
* * *
OK, Arum has just gotten Pacquiao’s word he would be pitching camp in GenSan, not in Manila together with his Team Kia.
Pacquiao also claimed there should be no problem: he’s an expert at time management.
Explained the Pacman: “Basketball is honestly my first love, but boxing is my bread and butter.”
That, no doubt, was a strong assurance.
It sounded cozy.
* * *
Sorry, but like in a sordid tax declaration, it was also lacking in specifics.
It’s like this. Arum cannot be expected to ask Pacquiao if he’s also gifted with bilocation like a Class-A saint. That’s already for Kia Motors people to worry.
The opening of the PBA season in October happens to coincide with Pacquiao’s training for his November title defense.
Pacquiao having to join the championship press tour in both Asia and the USA should also be factored in.
* * *
Was there a clause in the coaching contract about Pacquiao having to be with his professional basketball team full time?
Again, don’t ask Mr. Arum.
If Pacquiao’s pronouncements have been clothed in vagueness, Algieri himself can’t be far behind.
In fact, Algieri’s claim that he would use his jab as equalizer before prevailing with intangibles, is even more unclear than the hazy prints in Pacquiao’s basketball coaching contract with Kia Motors.