Sunday 23 November 2014 10:49, UK
Manny Pacquiao retained his WBO welterweight title with a one-sided points win over Chris Algieri in Macau on Sunday.
The eight-division world champion scored six knockdowns against the previously-unbeaten Algieri in an utterly dominant performance lacking only his first knockout in five years.
The final points margin was 120-102 on one judge's card and 119-103 on the other two and Pacquiao - now on a three-fight winning streak after back-to-back defeats in 2012 - immediately renewed his efforts to secure a match with Floyd Mayweather.
"I really want that fight," the Filipino said afterwards. "The fans deserve that fight."
And Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach raised hopes of a deal being done at last when he said: "Put it this way, I'm starting to watch tapes of Mayweather.
"He will be the best opponent that we've ever faced. I will really have to do my homework with Mayweather because he puts a lot of things together a lot better than most fighters."
Mayweather could scarcely fail to provide a sterner test than Algieri, who spent almost the entire contest on the back foot and never had Pacquiao in trouble.
The American complained that a second-round knockdown was a slip, but there was no argument in the sixth as a flurry of Pacquaio punches sent him over before a right hook did likewise.
Two more knockdowns followed in the ninth, Algieri beating the count after a left cross only to slump to his knees from a follow-up barrage.
Another left put him back down in the 10th, but Pacquiao appeared to ease off after that and Algieri made the bell.
"It's not just his hand speed," the beaten challenger said. "He's a great fighter. He does everything well. I was never hurt, but he did catch me with a big shot."
