Pacquiao smothers Algieri to retain WBO title

Chris Hyde/Getty Images
By Ivan Saldajeno

Manny Pacquiao scored six knockdowns and dominated Chris Algieri via a unanimous decision win in their WBO Welterweight title fight at the Cotai Arena in Macau.

Two of the judges tallied identical 119-106 scorelines, while the third judge gave it a perfect 120-102 all for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao turned the heat up in the second round after a flurry of punches floored Algieri.

Algieri, however, slowly recovered from the knockdown and fought toe-to-toe with Pacquiao in the next three rounds.

Pacquiao then began controlling the fight the rest of the way after knocking down Algieri twice in the sixth round.

Pacquiao would knock Algieri down thrice in the second half of the bout, and the latter failed to catch up.

Pacquiao, who successfully defended his WBO title, moved up to 57-5-2 win-loss-draw card while handing Algieri his very first professional loss in 21 fights.