Advice to Pacquiao: Avoid Amir Khan

KUALA LUMPUR – Former WBO lightwelterweight champion Chris Algieri recently named Amir Khan as an opponent whom newly crowned WBA welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao should avoid in searching for a future challenger.

Algieri, 34, fought and lost to both Khan and Pacquiao. Against Khan, Algieri said he deserved the decision that went to the 31-year-old 2004 Olympic silver medalist at the Barclays Arena in Brooklyn in 2015. Against Pacquiao, he suffered six knockdowns but finished on his feet to lose a lopsided verdict where one judge scored a shutout, 120-102. Algieri won his first 20 fights then dropped three of his last four before retiring in 2016. His last assignment was a disaster as he was floored thrice in bowing to unbeaten Errol Spence, now the IBF welterweight champion, on a fifth round knockout.

It was Algieri who said there was a big possibility that Pacquiao would dominate Lucas Matthysse in what could be a one-sided affair at the Axiata Arena here last Sunday morning. He predicted a Pacquiao win either by a late stoppage or a clear decision. Algieri flew in from his New York home to work the fight as a TV analyst for ESPN+.

“Both Khan and Manny are fast but their speed is different from each other,” he said. “Khan’s speed is in his combinations while Manny has that explosive first step. I don’t think Manny matches up well against Khan. Manny shouldn’t also fight Spence or (WBA “super” champion) Keith Thurman or (WBO titleholder) Terence Crawford or (former IBF ruler) Shawn Porter. Manny’s 39 so he should choose his next opponents wisely.”

Algieri said fighting WBC lightweight king Vasyl Lomachenko wouldn’t be a bad idea. “Manny’s bigger than Lomachenko and I don’t think Lomachenko can hurt Manny with one punch even if he did stop (Jorge) Linares with a shot to the body,” he said. “A (Floyd) Mayweather rematch would be nice but I don’t think Manny ever beats Mayweather because of their styles. I know Mayweather won’t fight outside of Las Vegas so you rule out fighting in the Philippines. It would be good for both Mayweather and Manny to fight one more time before they finally retire. If I had beaten Manny, I would’ve gone on to fight Mayweather but that never happened.”

Algieri said he’s the full-time trainer of middleweight contender Daniel Jacobs who’s in line for a title shot late this year. “We work out in Sadam Ali’s private gym in New York,” he said. “I cook his food, train him, keep him sharp. Occasionally, I work with other fighters like Curtis Stevens. After K. L., I fly to the Dominican Republic where some of the guys I help out are fighting next weekend.”

Algieri, a bachelor, has a Master’s degree in clinical nutrition and offers advice on physical conditioning with the proper diet as a consultant. “I once thought of becoming a doctor but I’ve become disenchanted with the medical profession which is now just a business,” he said. “I can help more people doing what I do now.”