Algieri 100 percent sure of win

MANILA, Philippines - Don’t blame Chis Algieri for saying he’ll surely beat Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 23 in Macau.

The undefeated boxer of Italian and Argentine descent is just trying to do his job – the very difficult job of trying to sell the fight.

“One hundred percent I believe I will win,” he told the Sweet Science just days after his dream match with Pacquiao was sealed, signed and delivered.

Algieri, 30, has reason to believe he can beat Pacquiao.

The fighter who looks like a GQ model is undefeated in 20 fights. When he fought Ruslan Provodnikov last month, not too many people thought he had the chance.

But he said things, strange things, happen in boxing.

“It’s the theater of the unexpected. And how many people thought I’d get killed by Ruslan,” Algieri told Michael Woods of the Sweet Science.

Algieri is now the WBO junior welterweight champion. He will challenge Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight crown at a catchweight of 144 lb.

Pacquiao is coming off back-to-back wins following back-to-back losses, and should be the heavy favorite against Algieri.

Algiere is not too convinced.

“I think I opened a lot of eyes in the last fight, and people who really know the sport, and go behind the numbers and styles think I have a very real chance against Pacquiao,” he said.

Well, boxing is all about chances, and in November, Algieri will get his.

Meanwhile, Filipino Edrin Dapudong lost his IBO super-flyweight title yesterday when he dropped a split decision to Lwandile Sityatha of South Africa.

Dapudong went all out right from the start, according to his promoter, Manny Piñol of Sonshine Sports Management, but fell short in the eyes of the two judges.

Piñol said Dapudong knew he needed to knock out Sityatha to get the win at the International Convention Center in East London, South Africa.

But it never came.

Piñol said by principle, both camps have agreed to a rematch to be staged in Davao City by the end of the year, and coincide with the launch of Sonshine Sports TV, a sports channel on free TV.