Chris Algieri vs Mikkel LesPierre Preview Aug. 3rd, 2021
Former WBO Super Lightweight Champion Chris Algieri will be taking on Mikkel LesPierre of Trinidad and Tobago in a 10-round welterweight bout at the Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City this Tuesday, August 3rd. The bout can be seen live on Triller TV and FITE TV. Algieri last fought in June, 2019 when he stopped Tommy Coyle after eight rounds to defend the WBO International Super Lightweight crown. LesPierre’s last bout resulted in a wide 10-round unanimous decision loss to former world champion Jose Pedraza and he was also dropped in the fifth and 10th rounds.
Algieri vs LesPierre Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Mikkel LesPierre +250
- Chris Algieri -325
My Pick
The 37-year-old Algieri won the WBO Super Lightweight Title back in June, 2014 when he beat Ruslan Provodnikov by split decision but lost it five months later when Manny Pacquiao dropped him six times on the way to a unanimous decision. He’s been in active recently as he sat out 2.5 years between April, 2016 and November, 2018 and hasn’t fought in the last 26 months.
Algieri enters the contest with a mark of 24-3 with 9 Kos and has boxed 189 rounds since turning pro in 2008. He has plenty of experience against elite boxers as he lost a controversial unanimous decision to England’s Amir Khan in May, 2015 and was also stopped in the fifth-round at the hands of Errol Spence Jr in April, 2016.
Algieri lost three of four fights between November, 2014 and April, 2016 but has won his last three encounters against Angel Hernandez, Daniel Gonzalez and Tommy Coyle. He’s also recorded wins over Mike Arnaoutis, Erick Bone, Curtis Smith and Emanuel Taylor. Algieri hails from Huntington, New York and is a former kickboxer who has pretty good boxing skills. However, his chin is somewhat on the questionable side.
In addition, he doesn’t have much in the way of power with a current knockout ratio of 33.3 per cent, but still has enough snap in his punches to drop an opponent. What Algieri does possess a lot of is heart and determination as he always bounces back to his feet from a knockdown. He stands 5-feet-10-inches tall and has a wingspan of 72 inches.
LesPierre is a 36-year-old southpaw who carries a record of 21-2-1 with 10 Kos. He turned pro in 2012 at the age of 27 and has 125 rounds of experience under his belt. He went 36-13 as an amateur and took part in the 2012 Olympic trials. He’s 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 70-inch reach so he gives up two inches in both height and reach to Algieri.
LesPierre doesn’t have much in the way of power either with a current knockout ratio of 40 per cent. His biggest fights have been against Pedraza and Maurice Hooker, who he lost to via a unanimous decision in March, 2019 in a shot at Hooker’s WBO Super Lightweight Title. LesPierre hung in their against Hooker by lost by a wide margin on the scorecards.
Since turning pro he’s managed to win the vacant WBC Fecarbox Junior Welterweight Title by stopping Mario Beltre in December, 2017 and the vacant WBC United States Junior Welterweight Crown with a 10-round unanimous decision over Noel Murphy just two months later. The lone draw on LesPierre’s record is a four-round tilt in 2012 with Cornelius Whitlock in his second pro fight.
Prediction…
Algieri and LesPierre are both aging skilled boxers who don’t possess much in the way of power and have somewhat questionable chins. It’s hard to say how the inactivity will affect Algieri, but I think he’s the better boxer overall and if he’s properly prepared should be able to do enough to earn a win here.
I’ll go with Algieri’s superior boxing skills.
Play: Algieri -325 @ BetOnline.ag
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Chris Algieri betting • Mikkel LesPierre betting