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Manny Pacquiao already below 144-pound catchweight, says Roach

Fighters Network
25
Oct
Photo by Chris Farina-Top Rank

Photo by Chris Farina-Top Rank

A chisled Manny Pacquiao is already is below the contracted 144-pound catchweight in advance of the Nov. 22 defense of his WBO welterweight title aginst rising WBO 140-pound beltholder Chris Algieri in Macau, China, according to his trainer, Freddie Roach.

“Weight has never been an issue for Manny, but to have him make weight four weeks in advance of a fight is incredible, even for him,” said Roach of Pacquiao, who weighed 143 after Friday’s open media workout before media members in General Santos City, Philippines. “He is so motivated for his fight with Algieri. The way Manny is training, he could fight for his own AND Algieri’s title on Nov. 22.”

Algieri (20-0, 8 knockouts) has claimed that his combination of height, range, mobility, underrated punching power and athleticism will be the difference in pulling the upset against Pacquiao.

“They keep talking about the fact that he’s fought tall guys and everyone’s talking about the height, the height, the height,” said Algieri, 30, who stands 5-11. “But the height is not going to be the thing. It’s going to be my athleticism. That’s the difference.



Among the sparring partners for Pacquiao, 35, have been the 6-foot Mike Jones, a former welterweight title challenger, unbeaten junior welterweight contender Viktor Postol, another six-footer, and lightweight prospect Stan Martyniouk.

“Being in the ring with someone as tall as Algieri may be unusual for Manny, but it is far from intimidating. Sparring partners Viktor Postal, the undefeated WBC No. 1 super lightweight contender, Stan Martyniouk and Mike Jones are more than preparing Manny for his upcoming title defense,” said Roach.

“If Algieri’s camp was seeing what I’m seeing here they would be adding worry beads to the collection of power stones they wear. One thing about Manny, he loves turning undefeated fighters into once-defeated fighters. I expect this fight with Algieri to be one of Manny’s finest hours.”

Note: Information on Pacquiao taken from a press release.

 

BERNARD HOPKINS-SERGEY KOVALEV UNDERCARD ANNOUNCED

The remainder of the non-televised card in support of the Bernard Hopkins-Sergey Kovalev light heavyweight unification bout on Nov. 8 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlatic City, N.J., has been announced.

The HBO televised portion of features Argentine Luis Carlos Abregu (36-1, 29 KOs) in pursuit of his seventh knockout in eight fights opposite Sadam Ali (20-0, 12 KOs), ahead of Hopkins, the IBF and WBA beltholder, facing Kovalev, his WBO counterpart.

On the undercard, heavyweight Vyacheslav Glazkov (18-0-1, 11 KOs) will face Darnell Wilson (25-17-3, 21 KOs), and light heavyweight Nadjib Mohammedi (35-3, 21 KOs) will pursue his third straight knockout against Demetrius Walker (7-7-1, 4 KOs).

A 2008 Olympic bronze medalist from Ukraine, Glazkov, who turned 30 on Oct. 15, is coming off back-to-back victories by unanimous decision over Tomasz Adamek in March and majority decision over Derric Rossy in August.

The hard-hitting Wilson, who turned 40 last month, ended a six five-bout losing streak with a sixth-round knockout of previously undefeated David Rodriguez last December.

Mohammedi was last in the ring for a seventh-round stoppage of Anatoliy Dudchenko in June. Walker, also 29, suffered his fourth straight loss by unanimous decision to previously winless Aaron Derrow last month.

In another 175-pound bout, Sullivan Barrera (13-0, 8 KOs) will be after his third straight knockout against Rowland Bryant (18-4, 12 KOs). Barrera, 32, was in action for last month’s sixth-round technical knockout of Eric Watkins , and Bryant, 35, for a unanimous decison loss to Pawel Glazewski in August.

In a junior middleweight bout, undefeated Ukrainian Vyacheslav Shabranskyy will face Puerto Rico’s Emil Gonzalez. In his last fight in July, Shabranskyy, 29, dropped Walker three times en route to a first-round knockout.

Gonzalez, 29, scored second-consecutive first-round knockout against Francisco Suero on Oct. 1 after having lost two straight, the last being a sixth-round stoppage loss to Matt Korobov in April. Gonzalez will be fighting for the sixth time in 2014.

Also in action are undefeated lightweight Ryan Martin against Isaac Gonzalez, unbeaten super middleweight Andrey Sirotkin against Michael Mitchell, and featherweight William Gonzalez takes on Eric Hunter.

 

ALI: ‘ABREGU IS A DANGEROUS FIGHTER’

Abregu, 30, has won seven straight fights, six by stoppage, since falling by unanimous decision to Tim Bradley in July 2010. Among Abregu’s victories during his run was a seventh round knockout against previously unbeaten prospect Thomas Dulorme in October 2012. Ali has stopped four of his past six opponents and was last in action for a split-decision over Jeremy Bryan in August.

“Abregu is a dangerous fighter. It’s obvious that I’m going to stay away from his power. I’m going to fight smart, but I’m not going to run. Basically I’ve got to be aware at all times. There’s no sleep time. There can be no time where I’m not focused in the ring,” said Ali, 26, who trains out of his own gym in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

“I was up to 11 rounds yesterday, and today, I just worked on the pads and the bags and some other stuff…I’m prepared for whatever he brings. I know that he’s really hungry and he feels that I’m in his way of another big opportunity, but I feel like he’s in my way and trying to knock me off. I’m not going to let him, so it’s going to be a great fight.”

HBO’S FIGHT GAME TO FEATURE HOPKINS-KOVALEV, GENNADY GOLOVKIN

Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) will be interviewed in advance of fighting Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs), as will WBA middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin on the latest edition of HBO’s “The Fight Game with Jim Lampley on Oct. 28 at 11 p.m. ET/PT.

Already both the oldest man to win a major boxing title and the eldest to unify, Hopkins will turn 50 in January. Kovalev is 31.

Last Saturday, Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) scored a second-round stoppage of Marco Antonio Rubio for the 12th defense of his WBA middleweight belt and his 18th consecutive knockout before an arena-record 9,323 boxing fans at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Lampley will also revisit the 20th anniversary of heavyweight George Foreman’s knockout of Michael Moorer. Foreman was 45 when his 10th-round stoppage of Moorer made him the oldest man to win a heavyweight title on Nov. 5, 1994.

 

JUERGEN BRAEHMER TO FACE PAWEL GLAZEWSKI ON DEC. 6

RING No. 4-rated light heavyweight Juergen Braehmer will pursue his 14th straight win against Pawel Glazewski on Dec. 6 at the EWE Arena in Oldenburg, Germany, Sauerland Event announced on Saturday.

Braehmer (44-2, 32 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision over Roberto Bolonti in June, ending Bolonti’s streak of five consecutive knockout victories.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring and defending my title for a third time this year,” said Braehmer, 36, in a release. [Note: Braehmer holds the WBA “World” title. THE RING recognizes the WBA Super World title held by Bernard Hopkins as the legitimate belt.]

“Glazewski is a quality opponent and I’m sure we will entertain the fans with an exciting encounter at the EWE Arena. Recently, I have faced opposition who have either been well-conditioned or big punchers. Glazewski possesses both these attributes. Although he does a lot well, I do it all better. I’m superior to him in every aspect of the fight game. I will prove this come Dec. 6.”

Glazewski, 32, has a record of 23-2 with five knockouts, and won for the third straight time with a unanimous decision over Rowland Bryant in August. Glazewski’s last loss was by seventh-round stoppage against Hadillah Mohoumadi in June 2013.

“Glazewski, like Braehmer, is technically a very gifted boxer who takes his time, waits for an opening, and then punishes his opponents,” said Braehmer’s coach, Karsten Roewer.

“Although his fight record may not suggest that he is a big puncher, he has actually had half of his opponents on the floor during his battles. Braehmer will need to be wary of this fact.”

 

 

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