Pacman-Algieri battle of two champs

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri have only one thing in common.

They are both world champions. Pacquiao is the WBO welterweight title-holder and Algieri is the reigning WBO light-welterweight champion.

The similarity ends there.

Pacquiao is the only boxer to win a world title in eight different weight classes and was named Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America for the 2000s. He is a certified pay-per-view draw and has fans from all corners of the world.

Pacquiao makes millions in and out of the ring – as a boxer and celebrity endorser. He is a two-term congressman, and in 2016 may run for a senatorial seat.

He’s an icon.

On the other hand, Algieri was almost unknown to fight fans until he rose from two first-round knockdowns to stun Ruslan Provodnikov for the light-welterweight crown last June.

The 30-year-old Algieri, however, is undefeated as a boxer, winning all his 20 fights while Pacquiao has been to fights twice more with his record of 56-5-2 with 38 knockouts.

Algieri is 20-0 with only eight knockouts.

When Pacquiao turned pro in 2005, Algieri was still into kick-boxing.

Pacquiao has a couple of mansions while Algieri, according to reports, still lives in the basement of his parent’s home in Long Island.

Pacquiao will put his WBO belt on the line when he faces Algieri this coming Sunday at the massive Venetian Hotel in Macau.