Brooklyn Boxing: Chris Algieri

On Saturday night, April 16th, Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing heads to New York when his former world champion and pride of Huntington, Long Island, Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) fights in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center, facing the Floyd Mayweather protégé and undefeated former U.S. Olympian Errol Spence, Jr., (19-0, 16 KOs) in the Premier Boxing Champions Welterweight main event televised by NBC.

Algieri, dubbed the “Boxing Collegian,” is known in the New York Fight scene as the local kid who used his intelligence inside and outside the ring to secure some of the greatest matchups possible in his weight class.  He continues to train locally under Keith Trimble of Bellmore Kickboxing MMA, and has recently expanded his training camp to include time spent in to Florida under the tutelage of John David Jackson. Jackson is the same trainer who has helped develop Light Heavyweight champ “The Krusher” Sergey Kovalev into one of the most feared and most avoided champions in boxing, outside of the Kazakhstan Killer in Gennady Golovkin.

Chris and longtime trainer Keith Trimble
Photo: Anthony Geathers

Algieri is best known for his great triumph on June 2014 when he won an upset against Ruslan Provodnikov for the Super Lightweight world title. That was a thrilling “boxer versus slugger” match upwhere Algieri rose from the canvas, won a split decision and out-boxed the “Siberian Rocky” with footwork and punching combinations.

This matchup earned him a title shot at Manny Pacquiao in November 2014. Unfortunately the Pacman has both punching power and superhuman speed, and knocked Algieri down six times en route to a lopsided decision. Even with that crushing defeat, Algieri’s heart, boxing skills and appeal have kept him in the public eye, and he is still a must see fighter for boxing fans.

Algieri struck gold once again when he secured a fight against Amir “King” Khan for May 2015. Like the Pacquiao fight, this was another instance where many critics felt that Algieri was completely outmatched, outgunned, and in way over his head. Instead, Algieri came in strong and conditioned, and gave a good account of himself, although he again dropped this fight to Kahn. Here, Khan was able to get away with holding on the inside, and this nullified much of Algieri’s boxing.

For Errol Spence Jr. this is a coming out party, a sweet sixteen, a cotillion, from the ranks of Mayweather team. What makes this fight so important is that the other so-called Mayweather protégés and Mayweather look-a-likes – from Adrien Broner, Ishe Smith, JDeon Love, and recently Ashley Theophane – have had varied success. Only Gervonta ‘Tank” Davis, Badou Jack “The Ripper,” and Errol Spence have had solid success.  A win against a solid and name opponent, here in Chris Algieri, will prove that Spence is the real deal ready for big money fights.

Algieri, the former WBO World Super Lightweight titlist, is coming off a thrilling unanimous decision victory over Erik Bone on December 5 at Barclays. He has demonstrated his continuing growth and development under John David Jackson, thus, graduating from his beginnings as a fighter. This would be a huge win for him if he can find a way to win in a contested event in which most feel he is yet again the underdog.

Tune in Saturday April 16th for another event in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center with Chris Algieri headlining on NBC. This marks the fourth appearance by Chris at the Barclays Center as he takes on the very dangerous and undefeated former U.S. Olympian, Errol Spence.

Writer: Adrian Anthony

Editor: Kyle Antonelli

Photos: Anthony Geathers