Amir Khan punches Chris Algieri during their Welterweight bout at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on May 29, 2015 in New York City. (Getty)
Amir Khan outpointed a game Chris Algieri in 12 rounds of high-quality action in front of a pumped up crowd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) boxed and out-punched his way to a unanimous decision, the official scorecards reading 115-113, 117-111, 117-111.
But if anybody’s stock rose as a result of the fight, it had to be Algieri’s. The Long Islander displayed remarkable heart and resilience as he pressed forward and never backed away from Khan’s swarming attacks.
Algieri landed well and heavy, especially with the left hand, and spoiled Khan’s style at times with his relentless pressure. But ultimately, Khan’s blazing handspeed and combination punching, as well as his control of the distance and pacing, were enough to pile up the points and secure him a comfortable lead on the cards.
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“I want to show some respect for Chris Algieri,” Khan said in the ring after the fight. “He came to fight, wanting to win, had his home crowd here. But I gave 100 percent there. A few mistakes I made. I didn’t expect Algieri coming forward. I thought he was going to move back and box. But when I was in the corner and Virgil told me the right game plan to follow. We went to gameplan B, and it worked for me.”
Saturday’s fight was Khan’s fourth ring appearance since moving up to the welterweight division. He had last been in action outpointing Devon Alexander in December of 2014. Going into the Alexander bout, the Bolton man had beaten Luis Collazo, Julio Diaz, and Carlos Molina. Amir’s most recent defeat came to Danny Garcia in 2012.
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Chris Algieri (20-2, 8 KOs) came to Saturday’s encounter on the heels of his first career loss, at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in November 2011. Prior to the Pacquiao fight, the then-unknown Algieri had surprised the boxing world last June by upsetting Ruslan Provodnikov with a split decision win and lifting the WBO light welterweight title.
Next for Amir?
“I think everybody knows,” Khan said. “Amir Khan wants to fight Floyd Mayweather. I am the number one WBC, Mayweather is the champion. So let’s make it happen.”
On the undercard: Javier Fortuna (28-0-1, 20 KOs) remains undefeated by outscoring Bryan Vasquez (35-2, 18 KOs) in a high-action 12-rounder.
Round-by-Round Updates
Amir Khan vs. Chris Algieri (scores are unofficial)
Refresh this page throughout the fight for live round-by-round updates
Round 1: Algieri wears black with white and blue , Khan in red and blue trunks. They meet in the middle of the ring Algieri misses with jab. Khan lands three punch combo as they vie in the middle of the ring. They tie up. Back at it. Middle of the ring. Khan landing well, he takes to the perimeter but they tie up. Punches in bunches from Khan. Algieri lands to the body and head against the ropes. Khan fighting moving backwards. Algieri lands with left. Back in the middle, Khan unloads with combination. His handspeed superiority is on display. Nice right from Algieri bothers Khan. 10-9 Khan
Round 2: Back at it, Algieri looks eager. Middle of the ring. Vying. Khan unloads a combination and clinches. Khan slowly working the perimeter. Left hook from Algieri. Khan answers with three-punch combo. Right from Khan finds a home. Algieri misses with hook, Khan makes him pay. Right hand from Khan and he darts away. Three punches from Khan, and he’s on the move, Algieri chasing. Big right from Khan. Another. Three hooks from Algieri to the body then head. Algieri working the left hook, Amir the straight right. 20-18 Khan
Round 3: Back in the middle, Algieri attacks. Khan takes to the perimeter. Algieri lands with a right. Khan lands with combo, then ties Algieri down. Khan with combo. Algieri lands to the body. Hard left from Khan. Good back and forth action. Algieiri misses with left, Amir lands two punches. Two fast jabs from Amir. Algieri still chasing, not cutting of the ring. Big left from Khan. Two punches from Chris and a BIG right from Khan. Good exchange of rights. Left from Khan. Left hook from Algieri. Whew! 30-27 Khan
Round 4: Khan comes out jabbing and working the perimeter. They exchange. Algieri stalking slowly. Algieri wings Khan with big right. Three punches from Khan land well. Algieri misses, they tie up. Khan in the corner. Algieri lands to the body the head with hooks. Right from Algieri, they tie up. Khan moving more now, keeping his distance. Right from Khan. Left uppercut from Khan. Three punch combo from Chris, then to the body. Right to Khan’s body. Right from Algieri. Now a right from Algieri. They tie up. Amir with a right at the bell. 39-37 Khan
Round 5: Left from Khan to open the round, and they tie up right away. Khan working the outside of the ring. He chases Algieri. Now they tie up n the middle. The square off in the center and trade. Amir moves, Chris lands a good left to the body. Good action. Khan lands with a combination. Algieri pressures, he throws, they tie up. Three punch combo from Algieri. He’s working the body well. Khan trips. No knockdown. Back at it, they exchange combinations. 1-2 from Khan. Left right to Algieri’s body./ Stiff hook from Algieri, and then to the body. 49-46 Khan
Round 6: They exchange right away and tie up. Combination from Khan lands well. Algieri pressures, but backs off from feint. Center of the ring, they exchange. 1-2 from Khan slaps Algieri around. Khan moving. Nice left from Algieri. Another, and Khan counters with right. Three punches from Khan land to the head. Miunte left in the round- middle of the ring. Algieri looking confident. 1-2 from Khan. They exchange jabs. Khan lands a good right. Jab-hook from Khan close the round. 59-55 Khan
Round 7: Second half of the fight. Jab from Aligieri, answered by same from Khan. Three punches from Khan. Algieri to the body. Khan working the hook and jab. Algieri chasing. They exchange jab. Nice stiff jab from Khan. Right from Algieri to the head. Khan on the move. Khan against the ropes. Right from Algieri. Inside acion. Into the corner. They tie up. Amir moving, Algieri stalking. Right from Algieri. Two nice rights from Algieri. Three punches from Khan and he darts off. 68-65 Khan
Round 8: Amir takes the perimeter. Huge right from Algieri. Khan seems ok. Another right from Algieri answers Khans combination. They exchange and tie up. 1-2 from Khan. Upper cut Khan. Algieri misses with a big right, Khan answers with counter left. Middle of the ring with a minute left in the round. Three punches land well for Khan. Khan landing well. Left hook from Algieri. Algieri keeps pressing on. Lands lefts to the head and body. Big right from Algieri ends the round. 78-74 Khan
Round 9: They touch gloves and go at it. They exchange and clinch. They fight from the clinch. Now broken up. Three punches land for Khan. Now a big left from Algieri. And a stiff jab from the Lon Islander. Right from Khan. Another. Heavy 1-2 from Algieri. Algieri to the body. Combo from Khan. Algieri chasing. Jab from Kahn answered by right from Algieri. Right from Algieri. 3 punch combo from Khan and he’s off. Algieri chases. Unload to the body against the ropes. Combo from Khan lands. 88-83 Khan
Round 10: Algieri comes out swinging. Unload sin the center. Algieri looks on fire. Pressuring well, he lands to the body. Left to the head. Two hooks from Khan. Again. Algieri with two rights to the body from close quarters. They clinch and break. They clinch, fight. Are broken up. Right upper cut from Khan hurts Khan. Good inside action. Khan shuts it down it with clinch. 1-2 from Khan. Huge left hook rocks Algieri’s head back. Algieri wants more. Good action. Three punches back a pressuring Algieri back. Big right from Algieri . Super round. 98-92 Khan.
Round 11: The crowd is pumped. Khan to the perimeter, Algieri ressures. Both taking a breather. They tie up, and back in the center. Khan lands with combination. Algieri pressures, pumps the jab. Khan swings, they tie up. Left from Algieri as he picks up the tempo. They exchange with combinations in the center of thr ing. Exchange good lefts. Minute left in the round, Khan lands a right and Algieri answers with a big right himself. Left from Algieri. Amir lands two punches and they tie up. 108-101 King Khan
Round 12: Final round! Great scrap. Right and big left from Algieri land. They meet in the center and exchange. Amir to the perimeter, Algieri goes off at the ropes. Big right from Algieri. Three-punch combo from Khan. Khan lands with big combination. Left hook, Amir. Half way through the round. Amir lands a stiff jab. Algieri with a left hook. Khan with three punches. Algieri lands a jab. Algieri misses with left and they tie up. 30 seconds left. Algieri is game, Khan not running. They exchange in the center of the ring. Tie up. 118-110 Khan