Yordenis Ugas never had any doubt in his ability to beat Manny Pacquiao, nor does he see a potential rematch being any more competitive. (photo by Ryan Hafey)
Talks of a sequel have surfaced on the heels of Ugas’ twelve-round decision win over the legendary Filipino southpaw in their August 21 welterweight title fight. Ugas (27-4, 12KOs) won by scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113 in a fight he accepted on just eleven days’ notice, replacing an injured Errol Spence (27-0, 21KOs) atop a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
A full training camp, insists the Las Vegas-based Cuban, should produce an even more lopsided affair should Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39KOs) push for such a fight.
“The main difference if there is a rematch is that we will be even better prepared,” Ugas insisted of such a scenario while discussing his memorable win during a recent Zoom media conference call. “That is an important distinction heading into the rematch where I will have a full training camp specifically preparing for Manny Pacquiao.”
Ugas entered as a considerable underdog for the fight, despite Pacquiao coming in following a 25-month layoff and four months shy of his 43rd birthday. Both boxers were training for drastically different styles. Pacquiao prepared for the left-handed Spence, while the right-handed Ugas trained for a fellow conventional stance fighter in Argentina’s Fabian Maidana, who suffered a cut in sparring around the same time Spence was forced to withdraw from the event.
A showdown with Pacquiao is one that Ugas has craved for years, and a fight he would cherish the second time around as well.
“Manny Pacquiao is a legend. He is a warrior,” notes Ugas of the former eight-division titlist, “There was never any concern over taking the fight on short notice. Manny Pacquiao is a legend.
“The moment it was offered, I said yes. It will be my honor and pleasure to face him again”
