"My ability to adjust and find a way to win, which is an intangible, I know. A lot of people, like you said and Freddie said, think about the jab and whatnot. I don't think that's my best asset. I think my best asset is being able to adjust in a fight; adjusting to any situation and finding a way to win," stated undefeated WBO jr. welterweight champion Chris Algieri, who talked about his upcoming November 22 showdown with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Contrary to Freddie Roach's belief, Algieri says his ability to adjust, not his jab, is his best asset, and if Pacquiao is unable to adapt to that inside the ring, then it could be a dominant peformance for the Huntington native.
"I wasn't one of those guys who was signed early by a big promotional company and had the benefit of great matchmaking to kind of build my career. I've fought every style you can think of and I fought tough guys. If you look at the numbers of all the guys I fought, I never had those building guys. I was in fights. I've been in fights since my pro debut," Algieri explained in a recent interview with FightHype.com. "I only know uphill battles in terms of the opposition. I've been on the adjustment my whole career. Plus my kickboxing career, I was young and, for lack of a better word, dumb and I wanted to fight the best immediately. I won a world title fight in my fourth fight. I had to keep fighting and keep beating up regional guys, but I was pushing for world title fights almost out of the gate."
Algieri added, "I've prepared for tough fights, but I never prepare for close fights. I'm going to go out there and I'm looking to win every single round. I don't want any close fights. I don't prepare for that. I don't even think of having close fights. Really the only close fight I had in terms of scoring was the Ruslan fight and that was because I was in such a hole in the first round. I don't think that I have to do that [dominate each round], but that's just my own expectations of myself from the get-go anyway."
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