By Jelly F. Musico
MANILA, Nov. 23 (PNA) – Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao punished American erstwhile undefeated Chris Algieri with dominating unanimous decision victory on Sunday to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title during the “Hungry for Glory” at the Cotai Arena inside The Venetian Macao.
It was a masterful showing for Pacquiao who knocked down the taller Algieri in the sixth, ninth and 10th round enroute to a convincing unanimous decision victory with two judges scoring 119-103 and the third judge having it 120-103.
”Of course, I’m satisfied with my performance tonight. I did my best,” Pacquiao said in a post-fight interview to the delight of huge crowd that include 300 people entourage of Pacquiao coming from the Philippines.
Pacquiao tried his best to finish off Algieri but the American backpedalled every time he was tagged by the powerful punches from the Filipino world champion.
“I’m looking for a knockout but it’s hard. He’s fast, he’s moving,” Pacquiao said.
Actually, the referee gave Algieri mandatory eight count six times, first in the second round which looked like a slip, and twice both in the sixth and ninth round.
In the sixth, Pacquiao landed powerful shots that put Algieri to the mat with the American not only falling but making a tumble. The second knock down dazed Algieri.
The two knockdowns in the ninth round came when Pacquiao landed a left straight that fell the American flat on his back and another knockdown from three punches.
A solid punch to the face sent Algierie again in the 10th round but survived and backpedalled most of the time in the last two rounds to survive the fight.
Algieri used his jabs sometimes effectively to keep Pacquiao at bay but the Filipino showed his vast experience and pushed his flurry of attacks that slowed down Algieri.
”Manny is best in the world. His status is great. He has so much experience,” the 30-year-old Algieri conceded.
It was the 57th win with 38 stoppages, five losses and two draws for Pacquiao while Algieri absorbed his first ever defeat in 29 fights.
Pacquiao, 35, is not slowing down as he expressed his excitement to fight another undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0).
“He [Floyd Mayweather] is ready to fight me? Yeeesss!,” Pacquiao said when asked his thought about future plan with the American fighter.
Pacquiao defended the title he regained from another erstwhile undefeated Timothy Bradley last April 14.
In a non-televised undercard, Jerwin Ancajas, the lone Filipino fighter in Pacquiao-Algieri match, scored a third round stoppage of Fadhili Majiha of Tanzania.
According to philboxin.com report, Ancajas sent to the canvass with a solid punch and was not able to beat the full 10 count, ending the fight at 1:48 in the third round.
The native of Cavite City improved his ring record to 22-1-1 with 14 knockouts.
In an undercard before Pacquiao-Algieri main event, former Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming dominated erstwhile undefeated Kwanpichit OnesosngchaiGym of Thailand, scoring a unanimous decision victory in a fight where Thai nearly got disqualified for low blows.
The Chinese fighter knocked down Pacquiao’s looked alike Thai four times to earn 119-106, 119-106, 120-103 scores from the judges. (PNA)