CHRIS ALGIERI may have started out a kickboxer but he now finds himself days away from competing at boxingโs highest level, taking onย Manny Pacquiao in Macau on Saturday (November 22).
Victory over Ruslan Provodnikov in June wonย Algieri this shot at the big time. โWhen Bob Arum says something, itโs a big deal,โ he told Boxing News. โThere were mutterings of [Pacquiao] immediately after the fight at the post-fight press conference and it was a good fight to make. Itโs an interesting match-up. When the talks started more and more, I had a pretty good feeling I was going to get it.โ
Itโs long journey to go from kickboxing to becoming a top class prizefighter. โBoxingโs a much faster sport. There are a lot more combinations to be thrown, kicks take longer to do so you can throw more punch techniques in the time it takes to throw a kick. Plus the talent pool is just so much greater, there are so many more boxers than kickboxers. Plus there are guys who live this. Kickboxing doesnโt really pay the bills so these guys, who are fighting for millions of dollars, they can put more of their life into it. Not to say that kickboxers arenโt dedicated but itโs just a different lifestyle that a boxer can utilize for training,โ the New Yorker said.
Algieri takes a scientific approach to his preparation. โIโm a nutritionist and chef. I cook all my own food and I am involved every step of the way when it comes to the structure and scheduling of our training. We sit down together as a team and we go through what the processes are going to be, what weโre going to be working on, how the strength and conditioning is going to change over camp. I monitor my own weight. In terms of making weight thatโs entirely up to me. But thereโs communication always with myself and my coaches,โ he said. โI think our advantage consists in the team, from the team communication and the unity that we share.โ
Before travelling to Macau he based himself at the Venetian in Las Vegas, a city where he regularly trains. โIโve had my last three camps here, this is my fifth camp in total that Iโve done in Las Vegas. My trainer Tim Lane actually lives in Las Vegas. I have a trainer, Keith Trimble whoโs in New York but I come out here for Tim but also thereโs so many more boxers out here. Californiaโs not far, so we can always get guys coming from there. Iโm fighting in a hotel, Iโm fighting in the Venetian Macau, Iโm living in the Venetian Las Vegas. Theyโre nearly identical so itโs good for me to get comfortable,โ Chris said.
Algieri believes his style will pose Pacquiao problems. โIโm not big on comparing and contrasting with other fighters because this is a rhythmn sport,” he notes. “Itโs the rhythm that matters. A guy like Antonio Margarito, whoโs similar to my height, heโs not a rhythmic fighter. Heโs not a jabber. He doesnโt move. He doesnโt utilize head movement. He comes forward, he covers up and throws big punches. Trying to compare myself with him, it doesnโt even make sense. So Iโm not one to really study and look at other fighters because those fighters arenโt me… My boxing style in general utilizes my height as part of my style. Itโs nothing new there. Itโs not like I really, really have to work on that part of my game because thatโs just part of my game in general.
โPeople make lot of comments about the height, thatโs just because itโs so obvious, Iโm so much taller. Thatโs not going to be the deciding factor in this fight. The deciding factorโs going to be my mental approach and my mental preparedness going into the fight.
โIโm giving him a different look. He hasnโt fought a young, hungry, undefeated champion with the skills and athleticism that I bring to the table. I really see a lot of similarities between the young Pacquiao and myself right now. Iโm on the way up, Iโm already a world champion but I want bigger and better things. He was there 15 years ago. Thatโs just the nature of the sport and thatโs just the nature of the world, itโs the cycle of life.โ
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