Chris Algeri’s trainer, John David Jackson, has warned that the former WBO 140 lb champion is ready to surprise a lot of people, especially given the good account of himself he gave against Amir Khan back in May in the wake of their hook-up.
The New Yorker (20-2, 8ko) is set to return in his home city on Dec 2 at the Barclays Centre, squaring off against Gabriel Bracero (24-2) in what Jackson predicts will be a bounce-back fight onto (eventual) much bigger and better things.
(Photo credit: Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions) BROOKLYN (May 30, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike returned to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Friday night with another explosive night of bouts for fight fans. In the main event, Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) scored a crafty and hard fought unanimous decision over Chris Algieri (20-2, 8 KOs) and Javier Fortuna (28-0-1, 20 KOs) won a crowd-pleasing unanimous decision victory over Bryan Vasquez (34-2, 18 KOs) in the televised opener.
Below are comments made by the televised fighters after their performances tonight:
AMIR KHAN
“I thought I worked well inside. I’ve never done a lot of work in the pocket like that and I plan to do more of that in the future.
(Photo credit: Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions) Amir Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) needed a great performance tonight to potentially earn a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., but I’m not sure that we saw that with Khan’s 12 round unanimous decision victory against Chris Algieri (20-2, 8 KOs) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Khan won most of the first six rounds, but Algieri came on strong in the second half of the fight in nailing the British fighter with bone-jarring shots to the head and body. Khan did a good job of holding any chance he could get, and this seemed to slow Algieri down, especially in the 11th and 12th rounds.
Khan was near helpless to Algieri’s lead right hands. The American was able to land that punch frequently, and Khan was powerless to stop it for some reason. In between rounds, Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter constantly scolded him, showing his unhappiness with the way that Khan was fighting.
A good strategy is best judged by the long-term results it delivers in any form of business, boxing is no different. A solid plan can be the difference between the maximization of a fighters talents or future theoretical discussions of what might have been.
So, when Virgil Hunter spoke at Tuesday’s final press conference ahead of tonight’s clash between his improving charge Amir Khan, 30-3 (19KO’s), and New York native Chris Algieri, 20-1 (8KO’s), we would do well to listen.
“Strategy, always strategy. Success in life comes from strategy.” Proclaimed Hunter.
Amir Khan and Chris Algieri meet in a game of high-speed chess not checkers in front of a Brooklyn based crowd at the Barclays Center on Spike this Friday night. Khan’s been busy the last few years lining up his ducks in a row in order to land a major fight. Can Algieri pull another rabbit out of his hat the way he did versus Ruslan Provodnikov about a year ago. The co-feature pits the explosive Javier Fortuna against a steady-rising Bryan Vazquez in a matchup that should start the broadcast out with a bang.
Nearly 3 years ago Amir Khan was ready to face Lamont Peterson in a rematch from a close bout. As fate would have it Lamont Peterson failed a random drug test after not informing the agency he’d implanted a testosterone pill in his hip the previous winter before their first meeting. In walks Danny Garcia for a July showdown with the highest of high stakes awaiting Amir in victory in the form of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
Tonight in New York from the Barclays Center, Amir Khan squares off against light hitting Chris Algieri in a much criticised fight that has brought considerable pressure on Khan from ALL corners – particularly the fans – who have bombarded his twitter feed over recent days and weeks to let him know exactly how they feel about this fight – which is largely seen as meaningless.
Kugan Cassius spoke to former 2 weight champ Paulie Malignaggi for iFLtv ahead of the fight to discuss his own thoughts on the contest.
The New Yorker – who was due to box on the card before sustaining a cut in training – is in the UK for Sky Sports punditry duties ahead of tomorrows Brook v Gavin card from London and essentially agrees with the fans, albeit it a little more respectfully than some of the tweets I’ve seen.
The fight will take place on May 29 at the Barclays center, a high capacity indoor arena in Brooklyn, NY. Usually boxers need excuses why they do not take a certain fight but Amir Khan (30-3) has been trying to justify his choice and has offered excuses why he should fight Christopher Algieri (20-1). The British boxer can gain credibility only from a stoppage win over this opponent even though Algieri went the distance with Pacquiao and holds a win, albeit a controversial SD, over rough and tumble Ruslan Provodnikov.
Chris Algieri is a little taller and his reach is a little longer but he lacks in experience and skill compared to Khan. In fact he lacks in experience compared to any high-level boxer. Khan is an Olympic silver medalist and his transition to the paid ranks was not seamless but he has more fights than Algieri, a journeyman with little if any amateur experience. The American has been floored 8 times in his last two fights and it would take a stretch of imagination to conjure up a winning path for him in this fight.
Poor old Chris Algieri. Ahead of his much maligned fight with Amir Khan on Friday at the Barclays Center in New York, the British fighter has suggested a desperate scrabble for a suitable opponent was partly responsible for choosing to fight the former kick-boxer, insinuating to Espn that due to various complications, nobody else credible was available in the wake of him not getting the May 2nd Floyd fight ahead of Manny Pacquiao.
“There were a few names I wanted to fight. (Adrien) Broner was another name which I got no response back. Another one, Miguel Cotto, would have been a great fight for me.”
He has been chasing the Mayweather fight for two long years – and now – given Floyd’s final fight in September, Amir Khan knows that the sand is running out of the timer and the fight he so longs for could be slipping out of his grasp for good.
Khan returns on Friday against Chris Algieri – the man floored 6 times by Manny Pacquiao in his last fight – and the belief is that he took this bout against the light-hitting American with Floyd still in the back of his mind.
Chris Algieri – Hello, everybody. I’d like to thank Lou DiBella Entertainment. It’s a pleasure to be back at Barclays Center. We fought a year ago last June, had a great fight, won my first world title. I’m also excited to be fighting on Spike. Thank you for hosting the event. It’s a whole new network to fight on. I’m very excited about it all.
Amir Khan Hello, everyone. I want to say hi to all the press and media. Brett Yormark is a friend of mine from Barclays Center. I’m very excited to fight at the Barclays Center. I’ve been there a few times. I always said that I want to come over here and give New York a huge fight, bring boxing there. I have a big fan base from New York. I’m sure Chris Algieri also has a big fan base. But we’re going to come and make some noise.