By Edward Chaykovsky
Former WBO junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri disagrees with the experts who believe that Floyd Mayweather's defense will be the difference against Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Algieri fought Pacquiao last November in Macau, China. He went down six times and lost a twelve round decision to the Filipino superstar.
Mayweather is known as a defensive wizard who rarely takes any punishment during his fights. He often dominates the competition with a combination of speed, defense and counter-punching.
Defense aside, Algieri expects Mayweather to use his physical advantages to box from outside and counter Pacquiao all fight long. Over the years, Pacquiao struggled in four closely contested fights with Mexican counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez, who lacks the speed and defense of Mayweather.
"I don't think Floyd defense is what's going to present all of the problems, I think it's going to be his counter-punching. If Floyd stands in front of him and tries that shoulder-roll defense, he is going to get hit. Pacquiao's punches come from very strange angles It's not so much that you don't see them, it's that you don't expect them to come from those angles and still generate power," Algieri explained to Grantland Sports.
"Sometimes you stay in a position where you know if you get hit with that hand it won't be a danger. Pacquiao is not that guy. If Floyd stands there and tries to picks shots off, Manny's speed and punching variations will present him with a lot of problems. But I don't think its going to get to that. I think Floyd's ability to counter-punch from the outside will be the difference."
