Algieri stays unfazed despite heavy odds

MANILA, Philippines - Chris Algieri is saying that he’s much better than what the oddsmakers think of him.

The undefeated pride of Huntington got off the betting gates as the huge underdog against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao heading to their Nov. 23 clash in Macau.

The early odds point to a big mismatch with Pacquiao now close to being a 16-1 favorite. When the odds came out last two weeks ago, Pacquiao was at -1400.

It means that you need to throw in $1,400 just to win $100 for Pacquiao. For Algieri, it was +800, meaning $100 wins $800.

That’s the difference which the oddsmakers see.

But Algieri, who will try to snatch the WBO welterweight title from Pacquiaio, said it doesn’t matter what the oddsmakers say.

“That is fine by me,” the 30-year-old American with Italian and Argentine blood told The Sweet Science.

Whatever the odds are, Algieri insist, will go out the window when they climb the ring at The Venetian Hotel more than three months from now.

“That is on paper. And on paper I am not supposed to win. Championships are won on intangibles, not on paper,” Algieri told Michael Woods.

On paper, Algieri is undefeated in 20 fights while Pacquiao has tasted defeat five times in over 60 fights.

Algieri said he can’t wait to meet Pacquiao face-to-face when they hold the press tour by the last week of this month.

Then he plunges into deep training and hopes to impress those who will come to see him prepare for the biggest fight of his life.

“Not to mention we are three and a half months away. Those odds with tighten up as the world sees my hard work and dedication,” he said.