Algieri: This isn’t a comeback fight for me, I’m looking to be world champion again

Algieri takes on Mikkel LesPierre tomorrow in New York and looks to use the fight to propel him towards a championship.

As former 140-pound titleholder Chris Algieri gets set to end a two-year layoff tomorrow evening when he takes on Mikkel LesPierre at the MSG Theater, Algieri tells RingTV that he doesn’t consider this fight a comeback out of retirement, but rather his chance to regain the stature he once lost.

“I think it’s a great matchup,” Algieri told The Ring. “This isn’t a comeback for me, it’s only a comeback because I’ve been out of the ring, my mindset has not changed. I’m a fighter, a current top guy, and I’m looking to be a world champion again.”

Although Algieri says he could’ve chosen an easier opponent to make his return against but that he feels fresh and sharp as he’s consistently been in the gym training and sparring to the point where he doesn’t even feel like he’s been off for as long as he has. Going against LesPeirre, Algieri readily admits he’s facing a capable opponent who is more slick with his upper body movement than with his feet.

But because Aligeri believes in his size and reach advantage over LesPierre, not to mention his ‘underestimated power’ at 140, Algieri says he may even surprise some people with the display he’s looking to put on.

“[LesPierre’s] only losses are to top guys, Hooker and Pedraza. I would like to win and do it impressively and do it better than those guys did. [I want to] make a statement that this is the weight class I’m going to campaign in and I deserve these bigger fights.”

Aligeri (24-3, 9 KOs) made his last appearance in the ring against Tommy Coyle in June 2019, forcing a stoppage. LesPierre (22-2-1, 10 KOs) most recently dropped a unanimous decision to Jose Pedraza in July 2020.