BBC Online :Manny Pacquiao retained his WBO welterweight title in Macau on Sunday by overwhelming American challenger Chris Algieri.The Filipino eight-weight world champion knocked down his 30-year-old opponent six times during the 12-round contest to hand Algieri a first defeat.”I’m not surprised he kept getting up. That’s what he did against Ruslan Provodnikov,” said Pacquiao.The 35-year-old now has 57 wins from 64 bouts.Algieri was rewarded for withstanding two knockdowns against Russian Provodnikov in his previous fight but he wilted in the face of Pacquiao’s power.Pacquiao first sent Algieri to the canvas in the second round when a punch forced the American to slip.Four rounds later Algieri fell over head first in the face of another Pacquiao attack before a tumble following a right hook.”It’s not just his hand speed – he’s a great fighter. He does everything well,” said the former kickboxer.”I was never hurt, but he did catch me with a big shot.”Three more knockdowns followed, Pacquiao’s thudding left-hand connection in the ninth sending Algieri to his back and the American soon dropping to his knees from a follow-up.Algieri staggered through bravely to the final bell despite another Pacquiao left-hander in round 10, though the Filipino’s mind was already on a showdown with undefeated American Floyd Mayweather, the 37-year-old five-weight world champion.”I want that fight,” he said. “The fans deserve that fight.”The boxers’ respective camps have never been able to agree a deal over a bout, with one stumbling block being Mayweather’s insistence on a strict blood-testing programme during training.
