Pacquiao: I know how to fight tall guys like Algieri

By Boxing News - 10/23/2014 - Comments

MANNY PACQUIAO: Hello everyone and thanks for being on the call. I am excited again to fight against a tall opponent like Chris Algieri. I have fought tall guys like Algieri before so I know what it will be like when I get in the ring with him on November 22.

We saw you have been playing basketball in the Philippines. Does that take away from your focus? Does it benefit your training?

MANNY PACQUIAO: It does not affect my training because basketball is on Sunday and we do not train on Sunday. Basketball is also good for footwork and balancing. It helps a lot and that is why I am always in shape when I don’t have a fight because I am always playing basketball. Basketball provides me with great cross-training

Algieri has said he is very confident in being able to defeat you despite the difference in experience. Have you paid any attention to that?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I am aware of his feeling but I am also confident that I am going to win the fight. I know he is doing his best in training and I am doing my best in training so the fans are going to see a good fight.

MANNY PACQUIAO: We are not taking him lightly for this fight and we are training hard for this fight because of what he proved in the Ruslan fight.

Do you plan to continue coaching the basktball team leading up to the fight?

MANNY PACQUIAO: No, right now I have an assistant coach and he will coach the basketball team. Right now I am focused on my training. After the fight I will come back to the team and be focused on coaching the team.

How was playing in the game and were you worried about being injured?

MANNY PACQUIAO: It was a good experience to play in a professional basketball game like that. I didn’t play long, I just wanted to help my team and that’s why I played. Professional basketball in the Philippines is very competitive and more importantly, we won the first game.

What was your feeling going into the first game?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I felt very excited and a little nervous because it was the first game and there were over 52,000 fans.

The Knicks could use a point guard actually (laughter). Manny what do you enjoy more? Basketball? Boxing?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I am enjoying boxing, but my favorite sport outside of boxing is basketball. That’s why I go to the basketball court – my cross training is basketball to keep in shape between fights. I also like basketball.

Algieri was knocked down twice by Provodnikov. It seem like this may be the first time you can get a knockout. What do you think about that?

MANNY PACQUIAO: We cannot go into the fight thinking about the knockout. A knockout will not change the result of the fight as long as we get the win. What we are trying to do right now is to get the focus in training and for the fight that people want to see. Chris Algieri is a very dangerous fighter and we are taking nothing for granted in this training camp.

Manny, are you hungry for a knockout?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I am still hungry and I am doing what I did before – what we did in Wild Card training in Hollywood. That’s what we are doing right now and it is good. Sparring and hitting the mitts and plyometrics so it is good.

Since we are talking about basketball a lot. Who do think is better at basketball – you or Floyd Mayweather?

MANNY PACQUIAO: (laughing) I don’t want to say myself, but Freddie said me.

Since you are fighting close to Hong Kong, have you been monitoring the events that have been taking place there and what is your opinion on that?

MANNY PACQUIAO: The fight is in Macao; it is not in Hong Kong. There is no problem in Macao. The problems are in Hong Kong so it will have no effect on the fight.

What are your general thoughts on those events taking place in Hong Kong?

MANNY PACQUIAO: It’s hard to give a comment about that because it is a big issue. If I were to give a comment about that first I would have to study about what the people want and what the government wants so it is hard to give an educated comment, as a politician. So maybe I will say now, I will not comment.

Algieri noticed Bradley was going for the knockout after seeing what Marquez did with the right over the left. Have you done anything to alleviate that?

MANNY PACQUIAO: It’s not the first time it has happened to me like that in the Marquez fight. They have tried it and I know what I am going to do for this fight. We started hard and we practice hard in the gym – different styles and different strategies and I believe we can use it in the fight. So there is nothing to worry about that. They are going to watch that fight and review that fight and I will be ready.

When you are against a guy with a long reach can you get inside without exposing yourself too much?

MANNY PACQUIAO: I think I have a way if he throws a lot of jabs. I can move faster than him so I don’t need to worry about that.

MANNY PACQUIAO: Thank you everyone for this interview and I want to thank all the fans that are going to watch the fight on pay-per-view.



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