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It appears as though prospect Chris Algieri will be getting his first world title shot on June 14, as he's the likely opponent for WBO junior welterweight titleholder Ruslan Provodnikov, who will be making the first defense of the title he won from Mike Alvarado last October.
Algieri (19-0, 8 KO) beat out Thomas Dulorme, Hank Lundy, and Antonio DeMarco, according to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. HBO wouldn't approve DeMarco, Dulorme's last fight turned off the matchmakers (and rightly so), and Lundy ... well, Lundy just isn't getting the call. Obviously, Hammerin' Hank was quick to weigh in on Twitter:
@danrafaelespn @RuslanProvod @HBOboxing @BannerBoxing @FreddieRoach they know I will beat him , smdh real fighter lol scared
— Hank Lundy (@hammerinhank30) April 4, 2014
@danrafaelespn @RuslanProvod @HBOboxing @BannerBoxing @FreddieRoach they want an easy fight but u can run but can't hide .
— Hank Lundy (@hammerinhank30) April 4, 2014
@danrafaelespn @RuslanProvod @HBOboxing @BannerBoxing @FreddieRoach I'm the best of them 3 fighter he an joke
— Hank Lundy (@hammerinhank30) April 4, 2014
@danrafaelespn @RuslanProvod @HBOboxing @BannerBoxing @FreddieRoach watched my fights an got scared , u really have no heart or balls
— Hank Lundy (@hammerinhank30) April 4, 2014
Algieri, 30, has only had a handful of ten-round fights, and has never been scheduled for 12. Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO) will be a huge favorite in this matchup, if it happens as now expected, and this is another fight sort of like Kovalev-Agnew where HBO is really just looking to showcase one fighter and build him for potential bigger fights down the line.
Do you see Algieri as a credible threat to Provodnikov, or just an opponent? Are you OK with this matchup as an HBO headline bout?