Manny Pacquiao's next fight opponent Chris Algieri has been compared by Freddie Roach to "The Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya. The famed trainer also wants Algieri "not to run and make the fight more exciting."
Manny Pacquiao's next fight against Chris Algieri will be happening this coming weekend, November 22nd, at the CotaiArena in Macau, China. "Pacman" will be putting his WBO welterweight title on the line, as he fights in the said country for the second time.
Both camps are already at the tail end of their respective camps. As fight night approaches, Freddie Roach spoke more about Manny Pacquiao's next fight and what he thinks about their next opponent in an interview with Yahoo! Sports.
"Chris Algeri, he will gives us a little bit of a problem, he's tall and he's got a good left hand and similar to the Oscar De La Hoya type of style, and we took care of that no problem," Roach said. "I don't think Algeri is better than Oscar and we will take care of it and that is why all the sparring partners are very tall."
Pacquiao had previously faced De La Hoya in 2008, in an event that was aptly billed as "The Dream Match." Many believed that it was the fight that propelled "Pacman" to further greatness, as he dominated the more decorated "Golden Boy" at that time, en route to an eighth round stoppage victory, and subsequently, to De La Hoya's retirement from competing at the highest levels in boxing.
In 2008, Pacquiao is the heavy underdog coming into the bout against De La Hoya. Coincidentally, Algieri is now the heavy underdog against Pacquiao, and he himself believes that he can pull off an upset.
But for Roach, the main thing is to give the fans an exciting fight.
"Just trying to get this guy to exchange a little bit...make him try not to run and try to make this an exciting fight and the thing is Pacquiao knows how to do that and work on cutting the ring off and setting traps," Roach said.
