By Jeff Aronow: Yordenis Ugas wants a title shot against welterweight champions Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr. after the lockdown ends. Ugas (25-4, 12 KOs) is ranked #1 with the World Boxing Association, and WBA champion Pacquiao’s top contender. Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) will need to face Ugas sooner or later if he wants to hold onto his title.
The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Ugas believes he should already be the WBC welterweight champion after losing to former champion ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter by a controversial 12 round split decision in March 2019.
Two of the judges scored it for Porter by the scores 115-113, 116-112, while the third had Ugas winning 117-111.
Boxing News 24 had Ugas winning 117-111. Porter wasn’t competitive. He got the worst of it the entire fight and was on the run much of the time.
In the 12th round, the referee Jake Reiss failed to give Ugas credit for knocking Porter down. It was a clear knockdown, but Reiss ruled it as a slip. Porter chose not to give Ugas a rematch despite the controversy surrounding that fight.
Ugas calls out Pacquiao and Spence
“We don’t know yet,” said Ugas on social media when asked when he’ll fight again. “Boxing has been suspended because of the pandemic. Eventually, when things reestablish, he’ll be notifying you guys on his next fight. I’ve been training nonstop. I’ll be training even harder when things go back to normal and can travel.
“I would like to fight the WBA champion [Manny Pacquiao]. I think I did everything to become a world champion, and I think I won the fight,” said Ugas about his fight against Shawn Porter last year.
“Let’s see if Spence takes the challenge. Thomas Dulorme was my most challenging fight, and the one I’m most proud of. I was notified ten days before the fight, and I won. Millions of people watched me because that was the night that Floyd fought McGregor,” said Ugas.
IBF/WBC welterweight champion Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) is interested in fighting Pacquiao or Danny Garcia when he returns to the ring in the summer or fall. If Spence can’t get either one of them, then he’ll go after Keith Thurman or Terence Crawford. Ugas, 33, doesn’t figure to be in Spence or Pacquiao’s immediate plans this year.
For Pacquiao to take a risky fight against Ugas, it might require that the WBA orders the match. The way that Ugas has looked lately, he would be a real threat to beating Pacquiao.
Ugas has four career defeats to these fighters:
- Shawn Porter – controversial decision
- Amir Imam
- Emanuel Robles
- Johnny Garcia
Crawford is a winnable fight for Ugas
“I think I can win that fight,” said Ugas when asked about him fighting Terence Crawford. “We already fought in the amateurs, and I won 26-10. I think he’s a great fighter, and one of the best in the division. But so am I, and it would be a great fight together. I’ll be ready when boxing is back,” said Ugas.
WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford is with Top Rank Boxing and he fights on ESPN, which means that Ugas probably won’t get a fight against him. The only way that Ugas gets a shot at fighting Crawford, 32, is if he wins one of the belts at 147, and then uses it to set up a unification fight.
Top Rank is interested in matching Crawford against former IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook in his next fight.
Ugas would need a good set of feet for him to catch up to Crawford because he’ll stay on the move when he starts getting caught.
Ugas wants Porter rematch
“I’ll take a rematch with Porter, even though Porter is not a champion,” said Ugas. “I’m looking for a championship. I’ll fight him anytime. I have size and power. After I win a couple of world championships, I’ll move up.
“I want that fight, a lot of people thought I won, and I’ll take it anytime,” said Ugas on a rematch with Porter. “I’d rather fight Spence.
“It’s going to be tough because a lot of fighters are pushed by the crowd,” said Ugas on fighting without fans. “It’ll almost be like a sparring session with a referee. But I’m used to fighting whether with a crowd or empty, but I prefer fighting with a crowd,” said Ugas.
Porter wants to fight the big names at welterweight, starting with a rematch with Keith Thurman or Spence. Both guys beat Porter in the past, but neither of them is looking to fight him again.
Fighting behind closed doors might be an option for Ugas to get the ball rolling after things startup. However, he’s not going to get one of the big names to fight him. The champions and popular fighters will insist on fighting with a crowd present, and that could mean that none of them will be available to fight Ugas.
