MACAU—Assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez has studied Chris Algieri closely and has practically gone inside the mind of the undefeated American.
He knows Algieri’s best punches. And he knows that fraction of a pound past the catch weight that he registered on the scales will weigh heavier on the boxer’s mind when he faces Manny Pacquiao on Sunday.
“The excess weight (2/10ths of a pound) is immaterial,” Fernandez said in Filipino “Surely it will bother Algieri a bit.”
Fernandez’s reason: Algieri is supposed to be a dietician and yet he failed to take care of his weight when it mattered most.
“I heard he ate oat meal and an egg and drank coffee,” said Fernandez. “Eggs sort of explode in the stomach.”
After spending countless hours, studying and analyzing tapes of Algieri’s previous fights, Fernandez has also spotted the punches Pacquiao needs to watch out for: The left jab, left hook and right uppercut, not necessarily in that order.
Even if Algieri manages to land a solid punch, however, Fernandez feels it won’t be enough to topple Pacquiao.
It will be the Filipino’s explosiveness that will largely decide the outcome of their 12-round battle for the WBO welterweight crown.
Algieri isn’t expected to go toe-to-toe with Pacquiao, who’s faster and stronger.
Claiming he has a better ring IQ than Pacquiao, Algieri said he’s going to exploit his mobility and five-inch reach advantage to frustrate Pacquiao.
The 30-year-old Algieri insists he won’t be a runner, as Pacquiao’s chief trainer, Freddie Roach, predicted.
Knowing that his body won’t be able to withstand Pacquiao’s inside pounding, Algieri plans to fight from a distance.
“I’m not built to go in there and trade bombs,” said Algieri, noting that he’ll capitalize on his length, range, speed, foot work and defense to thwart Pacquiao’s lunging attacks.
“I always find a way to win,” said Algieri.
Algieri holds a master’s degree in nutrition and is supposed to be an expert with regards to healthy food and clean living.
The first time he stepped on the weighing scale, Algieri tallied 144.4 pounds.
He stripped bare, but was only able to bring it down to 144.2, necessitating doing some exercises and going to the bathroom.
After an hour, he returned to the weighing room and finally succeeded, posting 143.6.