MACAU—Manny Pacquiao believes Chris Algieri is behaving like a boy.
Pacquiao said his American foe’s brashness shows his confidence in his own chances ahead of their World Boxing Organization welterweight title bout here.
“He’s [behaving like] a boy. He’s very confident. I like that,” Pacquiao told reporters Tuesday before working out at the basement of The Venetian Macao.
“He’s young, I know the feeling. I felt it when I fought Oscar [De La Hoya].”
Pacquiao made De La Hoya, then the poster boy of boxing, quit on his stool before the start of the ninth round on Dec. 6, 2008 and went on to become an eight-division world champion.
Pacquiao was 29 then and blazing his own trail in the fistic world. Now he’s the older guy taking on a fellow world champion, who is relatively young and inexperienced at 30.
While he refused to predict a knockout, Pacquiao said he will come out the winner on Sunday.
“No concerns,” Pacquiao said when teased that Algieri might pull off the same feat he accomplished against De La Hoya.
Algieri is unbeaten in 20 fights, with Russian Ruslan Provodnikov, from whom he wrested the WBO light welterweight crown last June, as his most recognizable opponent.
Pacquiao stressed, though, that he isn’t underestimating Algieri.
“I put in more gas, extra effort [into training],” Pacquiao said. “I worked hard to improve my hip movement and footwork.”
The effects were visible during his workout Tuesday afternoon.
Pacquiao flashed a lot of speed circling the ring while throwing punches.
“Rapido (rapid fire),” Pacquiao quipped.