Spence vs. Algieri

By Dan Ambrose: Former WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) will be facing one of the most dangerous welterweights in the division in nine days from now in undefeated #2 IBF Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) in their fight on April 16 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Algieri, 32, is seen as a gatekeeper type of fighter at 147 at this point in his career despite the fact that he was a world champion at 140 just two years ago. Two losses to Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao has changed the public’s perception of Algieri. He’s lost two out of his last three fights.

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By Dan Ambrose: Former WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri will be battling unbeaten Errol Spence (19-0, 16 KOs) on April 16 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The winner of the fight will become the IBF mandatory challenger to Kell Brook. The loser of the contest will need to work their way back into position to get a title shot.

Algieri, 31, thinks that Spence is making a big step up in this fight, and he wonders whether he’ll be ready to take that step when the two of them get inside the ring on April 16. Up until now, Spence has been carefully matched by his management despite the fact that he fought in the 2012 Olympics for the United States.

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By Dan Ambrose: #5 WBO welterweight contender Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) believes the pressure is on #2 IBF Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) with their upcoming fight on April 16 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Spence, 25, is seen as the future of the sport, and the fighter that many fans believe will be the replacement for Floyd Mayweather Jr. Even Mayweather sees Spence as the next big star in the 147lb division.

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By Jeff Aranow: #5 WBO Chris Algieri 21-2, 8 KOs) is facing one of his toughest tests in recent memory in fighting unbeaten #2 IBF Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) in a 12 round fight next month on April 16 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC. Algieri needs a win in this fight to put himself in a strong position for a world title fight against IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook.

Likewise, if Spence wins, he’ll be the one that will be earning himself a shot to fight for the IBF belt. Algieri has done a complete revamp of his fighting style with trainer John David Jackson. Algieri, 32, is no longer a finesse type of fighter like he was in the past in fights against Manny Pacquiao and Ruslan Provodmikov. He’s now someone who actively looks to engage and apply pressure against his opponents.

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(Photo credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment) By Jeff Aranow: If undefeated Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) gets his way, he’s going to be making easy work of Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) on April 16. Spence Jr. wants to make this a showcase fight where he beats Algieri easily and then uses the win to try and get a fight against one of the other world champions.

Spence wants to fight champions Danny Garcia, Keith Thurman or Kell Brook. He didn’t mention WBO champion Jessie Vargas, who is prompted by Top Rank and is likely not a fight that he can get.

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By Dan Ambrose: #5 WBO welterweight contender Chris Algieri 21-2, 8 KOs) isn’t impressed with the lack of competition that unbeaten blue-chip fighter #2 IBF Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) has fought during his short pro career. Algieri does not feel there is any reason why he shouldn’t hand the 26-year-old his first defense next month in their fight on April 16 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Spence and Algieri need a win on April 16 to catapult them into a world title shot against the winner of the March 26 fight between IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook and Kevin Bizier.

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By Jeff Aranow: On April 16, unbeaten welterweight contender Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) will be making a step up fight against former WBO 140lb belt holder Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Analyst and former world champion Paulie Malignaggi sees this as a good test for the 26-year-old Spence Jr., because it will give him the chance to show what he’s made of by facing a rugged fighter like Algieri. This isn’t the same Algieri that beat Ruslan Provodnikov in 2014, and lost to Manny Pacquiao, says Malignaggi.

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By Dan Ambrose: #2 IBF welterweight contender Errol Spence Jr. 19-0, 16 KOs) will be putting his unbeaten record on the line on April 16 against #5 WBO Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) on April 16 in what is supposed to be an IBF 147lb eliminator bout at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

It hasn’t been confirmed yet whether the Spence-Algieri fight will be an eliminator. Algieri isn’t ranked in the top 15 by the International Boxing Federation, so it’s possible that Spence will still need to face someone else for the final eliminator.

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By Dan Ambrose: Unbeaten #2 IBF welterweight contender Errol Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) will be back in the ring in two months from now on April 16 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The opponent that the 26-year-old Spence Jr. will be fighting is Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs), according to Dan Rafael of ESPN. The fight will be on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC, which means it will likely be bringing in good ratings.

It will be the main event on the card, and the winner of the contest will be the IBF mandatory challenger to champion Kell Brook. This is a big deal for both fighters, because they obviously would likely to get a world title shot.

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