The handwriting is on the wall, says blue-eyed banger Chris Algieri, who believes that age is fast catching up on eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao.
“By the time (I fight him) he’ll be almost 36 years old,” said Algieri as he looks forward to his Nov. 23 shot at Pacquiao in Macau like a kid who is about to enter a toy store.
Pacquiao turns 36 on Dec. 17 and Algieri, 30, feels the Filipino star’s sparkle is beginning to fade.
Still, Algieri is going to train like a madman in this golden opportunity as he is starting to program his mind to think that the Pacquiao who will show up will be the man who used to dominate the sport with an iron fist.
“But I expect the best Pacquiao in November,” he added. Algieri better come armed to the teeth as Pacquiao, a professional since 1995, is determined to prove that age is just a number.
After being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in Dec. 2012, Pacquiao has strung up a couple of wins over Brandon Rios and Tim Bradley and is aching to add Algieri’s scalp.
While Algieri is not really a young tiger at 30, the New York native insists he is fresh, not a supercar that has logged a hundred thousand miles like Pacquiao, who was always on full-throttle.
Besides, Pacquiao probably hasn’t encountered someone like him, according to Algieri, who is a licensed nutritionist and one who still lives with his family in Long Island.
At 5-10, Algieri also has long arms and is adept at fighting from a distance, a trait he utilized in winning against the ultra-aggressive Ruslan Provodnikov and, which he says should play a crucial role when he finally faces Pacquiao at the CotaiArena.
Which will prevail: Youth or experience? (Nick Giongco)