A mismatch, a tasteless tune-up

MACAU—Freddie Roach said he was not disappointed that Chris Algieri managed to finish yesterday’s world welterweight boxing championship fight on his feet, saying the American pretty boy did some exceptional escape acts that he had not anticipated.

Roach said on Friday that it would be impossible for Algieri, labeled a certified greenhorn, to survive against Manny Pacquiao, going by how well and hard the eight-division world champion had trained.

Roach, however, claimed Algieri’s survival should not detract from the fact that Pacquiao has regained his original firepower.

“The old power is back, but he should be a lot sharper if he starts to fight in the 140-pound (light welterweight) division,” Roach told the Inquirer.

Yesterday’s fight for the WBO welterweight (147 lb) crown was at the catch weight of 144.

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Algieri, whom bout sellers led by the grizzled Bob Arum tried to peddle as the New White Hope, picked himself up from the floor a total of six times to mark his debut as a pay-per-view boxer.

Described also as a real-life Rocky, Algieri was next labeled as a big joke by veteran sportswriter Eddie Alinea following his tasteless stand.

Roach said he does not remember any prizefighter in the recent past finishing on his feet despite having been floored a total of six times.

The scores of the three judges

—119-103, 120-102, 119-103— could also be a record in lopsidedness in the prizefight business.

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Pacquiao, who showed up at the postfight press conference fresh and unscathed, lauded Algieri for his guts.

But many among those who watched the fight live at Cotai Arena here swore it was Algieri’s faint-heartedness that deprived the championship of color and significance.

Other disappointed fans said Algieri’s often-frantic retreat prevented Pacquiao from dishing out his best.

Algieri went into survival mode the moment he had a taste of Pacquiao’s fist in the first round.

Close to the end of the presscon, Pacquiao’s much-desired fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. was brought up.

Arum, who had said prior to yesterday’s Clash Cotai 11 that they were talking with Showtime about the possibility of the dream bout, made a turnaround and said they would be waiting for a phone call from Mayweather’s people.

Reminded that Pacquiao’s fight against Algieri could’ve served as a tune-up for the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, Roach had a big, big laugh.

He did not have to say that yesterday’s mismatch was both absurd and worthless.