WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas 26-4 (12) says he will return to action on the undercard of the fight between WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr 27-0 (21) and Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao 62-7-2 (39) in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21.
The 34-year-old Miami-based Cuban claimed the vacant WBA ‘regular’ title with a split decision win over Abel Ramos 27-4-2 (21) in Los Angeles, California last September.
Pacquiao, 42, was the full WBA champion at the time. In January of this year, he was designated ‘champion in recess’ status by the WBA and Ugas was elevated to full champion. Pacquiao has not fought since outscoring Keith Thurman 29-1 (22) by split decision two years ago.
“Let the WBA do what they want to do, but I was the one that was going to fight Errol Spence and now all of a sudden, Manny Pacquiao has decided to come out of retirement and now they’re going to fight,” Ugas said to FightHype.
“I’m going to be the co-main event on that show on August 21st. I’m not frustrated. I’m continuing to train and fight.
“I don’t know who I’m going to fight on August 21st. I don’t know why they’re ducking me, but I’m willing to fight anybody.”
Ugas says he is ready to face anyone in the 147-pound weight class, including Thurman and former four-weight world champion Mikey Garcia 40-1 (30).
“I feel I am a better body puncher than Errol Spence,” Ugas said. “I’m willing to fight anybody. Mikey Garcia, Keith Thurman, anybody.
“Also, I’ll fight [Shawn] Porter again. I’m going to start calling these people out a lot more to see if they’re willing to fight.”
Meanwhile, Thurman thinks Pacquiao still deserves to be regarded as the WBA champion.
“This is called politics in boxing. There are some things you’ve got to read the fine print on, and this is one of those scenarios,” Thurman said to FightHype.
“Should they have ever stripped Manny Pacquiao during a pandemic? It’s hardly arguably. The answer is no. Should they be playing the game that they’re playing right now? The answer is no.
“But ultimately, do we want to see the biggest fights that we can see? That answer is yes. Spence vs Pacquiao for all three belts.”
Thurman added he simply got outworked by Pacquiao.
“This was the mission your boy was on,” he said. “I felt short, man, and I did some of the mathematics behind the fight [with Pacquiao], and I felt 15 punches short.”
Ugas gave his take on some upcoming fights, including the undisputed lightweight title fight between champion Teofimo ‘The Takeover’ Lopez 16-0 (12) and mandatory challenger George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 19-0 (10) in Miami, Florida next weekend.
“It was three years [since I last sparred Lopez] and he’s a lot better than he was back then,” Ugas said. “100%, he’s going to win.”
As for the Spence vs Pacquiao fight, Ugas said: “I really don’t know, let the best man win.”
