By Chris Williams: WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s longtime adviser Michael Koncz is currently hospitalized in the Philippines with blood clots in one of his legs. He’s already had one operation to remove the clots, and he’s going to need a second one on the problem, according to the Manila Standard.

The hospital staff at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital plan on replacing an artery in his leg.

Needless to say, it’s going to be a lengthy operation and you’ve got to hope that he’s able to pull through it. Having an artery replaced is no easy task.

With Koncz sidelined, you have to wonder how this is effecting Pacquiao in his training for his important fight next month against Chris Algieri on November 22nd in Macao, China. The fight is a little over a month away, and it’s one that promises to be a difficult one for the 35-year-old Filipino boxing star. We’ve already seen him get knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez, and Pacquiao hasn’t looked great in his two fights since then against Brandon Rios and Tim Bradley.

If Pacquiao is distracted by now having Koncz by his side for this fight then it’s quite possible that Algieri will be able to pull off an upset on 11/22. At this point you can’t really call it an upset because at Pacquiao’s age you can’t assume he’s going to be able to beat the top talent in the sport each time he goes out there. He’ll win some of the time, and lose occasionally. Algieri has the size, mobility and the boxing skills to give Pacquiao the fight of his life.

Koncz has been there by Pacquiao’s side managing things for him for quite some time. With him now hospitalized during a crucial period in Pacquiao’s career, it could put Pacquiao at risk for this fight.