Before his latest verbal blast at unbeaten Chris Algieri, the famous trainer Freddie Roach swore his fellow American, who hopes to beat Manny Pacquiao in Macau on Sunday, was so feeble he could not even break an egg.
The 30-year-old Algieri (20-0 with only eight knockouts) refused to counter. Roach’s insult, however, forced one of Algieri’s trainers to divulge what was generally unknown about the arsenal of the handsome New Yorker.
Algieri has got a hidden weapon.
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Keith Timble, a former kickboxing sparring partner of Algieri who now teams up with main trainer Tim Lane, said everybody will be in for a surprise.
Algieri owns a secret right hand, big and hard.
Timble: “All those punches with the left are opening you up for that right hand. He needs to let that right hand go. He’s a big, strong kid. He knows how to use it. His right hand has come along so well. He’s going to be a two-armed guy this time. He’s nasty. Chris is a nasty little kid. He’s a nice guy, he likes everybody. But he’s a nasty kid inside the ring. In his earlier fights, Tim and I would say, ‘You’re standing there in the middle too long. (He likes to get in there.) But you’re 5-11, why fight in a phone booth when you could use your real estate.”
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Greg Logan, who interviewed Timble for Newsday, noted that Algieri broke his right hand a few times while kick-boxing early in his boxing career.
“He has been reluctant to use it at times, but that might change this time.”
Meanwhile, Robert Mauro, a longtime kick-boxing trainer for Algieri, said Pacquiao, a southpaw, has speed and volume punching from all angles.
“But if Algieri brings it out, his right hand might just hold the key to victory.”
Algieri said he’s not the least intimidated by Pacquiao, particularly the Pacman’s fabled killer left hand.
“My first fight was with a lefty. My second pro fight was with a lefty. I think we’ve fought and beaten seven already. It’s never been an issue,” swore Algieri.
Nothing follows.
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(SPECIAL NOTES: My kumpadre and writing idol Roger Ordoñez of Alapan, Cavite, will be launching a new volume of poems, “Sa Pamumulaklak ng Mga Talahib” (with English versions), on Saturday, 10 a.m. at Bonifacio Hall, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, main library building. Mabuhay ka!… Ryan Papa, Filipino multimedal (gold) winner in the Southeast Asian Games, won three golds in the recent Fina World Masters Swimming Championships in Montreal, Canada. He won the 200-meter, 100m and 50m backstroke for men: 35-39 years.)