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By Jake Donovan - If you asked the question around this time last year, few if any observers would have guessed that Chris Algieri is in the position he’s in today.
It was beyond anyone’s wildest predictions that he’d hold a major title in the 140 lb. division, or that he’d serve as New York’s only current full titlist. Nor did hardly anyone imagine that the unbeaten Long Islander would so quickly land a dream assignment versus Manny Pacquiao – and that he’d have to carry the bulk of the promotion, to boot.
Of course, Algieri has always believed in himself, and is relishing every bit of his newfound fame.
“It’s been fantastic. It’s the kind of stuff that you want as a fighter coming up,” Algieri (20-0, 8KOs) says of the additional exposure that has come with his welterweight title challenge versus Pacquiao, this Saturday at Cotai Arena in Macau, China. “I am now a champion and fighting at the elite level and you want this kind of exposure. A lot of guys say this, but when it comes they really don’t want it.
“I’m not that kind of guy. This stuff gets me up. My open workouts are like fight day. I’ve got a lot of pressure on me and I ride it to the top. I am enjoying my time here and my time under the microscope and I believe that has helped out whole team step up to perform that much better.”
Algieri became the unlikeliest of candidates following a major upset win over Ruslan Provodnikov in June. The outcome remains disputed – many have contended that the split decision verdict should have gone the other way – but that the fight itself took place when it did spoke volumes of Algieri’s eagerness to bring his career to the next level. [Click Here To Read More]
It was beyond anyone’s wildest predictions that he’d hold a major title in the 140 lb. division, or that he’d serve as New York’s only current full titlist. Nor did hardly anyone imagine that the unbeaten Long Islander would so quickly land a dream assignment versus Manny Pacquiao – and that he’d have to carry the bulk of the promotion, to boot.
Of course, Algieri has always believed in himself, and is relishing every bit of his newfound fame.
“It’s been fantastic. It’s the kind of stuff that you want as a fighter coming up,” Algieri (20-0, 8KOs) says of the additional exposure that has come with his welterweight title challenge versus Pacquiao, this Saturday at Cotai Arena in Macau, China. “I am now a champion and fighting at the elite level and you want this kind of exposure. A lot of guys say this, but when it comes they really don’t want it.
“I’m not that kind of guy. This stuff gets me up. My open workouts are like fight day. I’ve got a lot of pressure on me and I ride it to the top. I am enjoying my time here and my time under the microscope and I believe that has helped out whole team step up to perform that much better.”
Algieri became the unlikeliest of candidates following a major upset win over Ruslan Provodnikov in June. The outcome remains disputed – many have contended that the split decision verdict should have gone the other way – but that the fight itself took place when it did spoke volumes of Algieri’s eagerness to bring his career to the next level. [Click Here To Read More]
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