By Chris Williams: Yordenis Ugas says he’s going for a knockout tonight when he faces boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in the main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ugas (26-4, 12 KOs) will be defending his WBA ‘Super World’ welterweight title that Pacquiao has been complaining about, muddying the waters by telling the media that he shouldn’t have been stripped of that title earlier this year.
Yordenis is tired of the complaining from the bitter 42-year-old Pacquiao, and he wants to shut him up by knocking him out.
As far as Ugas is concerned, he won his WBA title in a championship-level fight with his hard-fought 12 round split decision victory over Abel Ramos in September 2020.
If Pacquiao wants to win back his WBA title, he’s going to put up or shut up tonight because Ugas is tired of his chronic belly-aching about his title.
Ugas coming to knockout Pacquiao
“I’m going for the knockout just like he is, so we’ll see what happens,” said Yordenis Ugas to Behind The Gloves. “I won my WBA in a championship fight, but if he thinks that, we’ll see who the champion is tomorrow,” Ugas said about Pacquiao saying he’s not the real champion.
As you can tell, Yordenis isn’t playing around with Pacquiao. He’s going to be hunting the Filipino superstar tonight, looking to take him out with every shot he throws.
It’s important for Pacquiao that he not rush in blindly trying to throw his shots, as he normally does in his fights, because Yordenis will be looking to take his head off with his uppercuts.
This is a fight that very well could end on a body shot from Ugas, considering he’s one of the best body punchers in the 147-lb division, if not the best.
As most boxing fans know, Pacquiao has always had problems taking it to the body. It’s fair to say that Pacquiao’s Achilles heel has been getting hit to the body.
Manny doesn’t take it downstairs nearly as well as he does when getting hit to the head, and Ugas is well aware of that.
Roach says Pacquiao will start VERY fast
“I think we need to start fast, and I think it’s going to be a very, very quick start,” said coach Freddie Roach on how Pacquiao will fight Yordenis.
Roach’s revelation about Pacquiao starting fast isn’t huge news, as the entire world is well aware that Manny will start fast because that’s how he’s ALWAYS fought. Pacquiao is like a leopard that can’t change his spots.
Also, Pacquiao has to start fast because his stamina isn’t what it used to be when he was younger. Yeah, Manny looks young for a 42-year-old, but he shows his age big time with his stamina.
“Who is Josh Taylor?” said Roach when asked if Pacquiao would be interested in fighting undisputed 140-lb champion Taylor next after Ugas.
You can’t blame Roach for not being interested in a fight between Pacquiao and light welterweight champion Josh Taylor. The casuals boxing fans in the U.S have no clue who Taylor is, and it would be an awful fight if Pacquiao were to face him.
“We’ve never been offered that fight [with Josh Taylor], and no one has ever talked about that fight. It’s not something that’s out there. He’s a multi-world champion, but it’s never been spoken about, so how can I give you a good answer?
Freddie doesn’t rate Yordenis
“Pacquiao picks his opponents. I told him what I thought, and the fights on,” said Roach on Pacquiao deciding to fight Ugas after Errol Spence Jr pulled out.
“He’s not in that class,” Roach said when asked how he compares Yordenis with Keith Thurman and Spence. “And he’s [Ugas] a strong kid, but he’s a little bit slow, though, and he’s not the biggest puncher in the world but he’s OK. He’s a good opponent.
“Manny tells me one fight at a time, and when I ask him about future fights, he just smiles,” Freddie said on whether Pacquiao will choose to retire after he fights Terence Crawford or Spence rather than Ugas.
“What Manny does best is box,” Roach said when asked what was Pacquiao’s motivation to keep fighting. “Floyd Mayweather, I would love to get a rematch with Floyd Mayweather.
