Was Chris Algieri properly startled?

CHRIS Algieri is not saying it, but it has become obvious the unbeaten American fighter also wanted to conduct himself with the flair and composure of a dignified matador. He, in fact, squares off against a raging bull of a warrior in Manny Pacquiao a couple of weeks from now in Macau.

Algieri, peddled off by his publicists as owner of a doctorate in upsets, has been conducting himself admiringly well since they started selling the Nov. 23 world welterweight boxing championship.

He should be credited for energetically feeding the sales chart, although nothing could beat what Sylvester Stallone has done in stressing Algieri, a 10-1 underdog, is the real-life Rocky, a Cinderella story boxing needs for the sport to truly shine again.

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Truth is the championship, which took off as a budding mismatch, has grown into the the most-talked about fight of the period.

Of course, its exact status will be known only through the fight-night pay-per-view hits. But Top Rank Inc. has been smelling a Cinderella-like success well ahead of the event.

Anyway, this may not be worth saying, but there was one startling incident that obviously escaped the common eye after Algieri allowed himself to be unduly provoked in an exchange with Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer.

Roach let out a stinging blurb and connected when the Hall of Fame trainer claimed Pacquiao’s imported sparring partners were all superior to Algieri.

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Countered an irritated Algieri: “Roach is nervous. Simple as that. He’s acting out of character. That doesn’t affect me at all. I’m not that guy.”

Of course, you need not be a sports psychologist to sense Algieri has been startled, if not unduly unnerved.

“It’s not going to work on me,” cried Algieri, adding his focus has not been altered.

Just the same, Algieri confirmed he has been pushing harder and that his focus and intensity have been increasing.

That reaction could be of great help although Algieri has also momentarily lost his innate cool.

This only means he will have to work firmly in order to be doubly settled come fight night.

He should keep his matador composure exactly at the moment of truth when Pacquiao, deadly sure of his chore, digs in with the unblinking fury of a killer bull.