By Jim Calfa: Yordenis Ugas says he wants to face WBO 147-lb champion Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship if he successfully defeats IBF/WBC champion Errol Spence Jr. in their fight in early 2022.
Unlike Spence, 31, the talented Cuban Ugas WANTS the fight with the unbeaten Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) for the undisputed 147-lb championship in 2022, and that’s the match-up he’ll be heading into if he beats what’s left of ‘The Truth.’
With Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) coming off an eye injury and a near year and a half layoff from the sport, WBA welterweight champion Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) could spoil Errol ring return. If Spence isn’t 100% of what he used to be, he’s going to be in for a long night against Ugas.
Will Spence be 100% for Ugas?
Spence has been through the wringer in the last two years, involved in a terrible car crash in 2019, a torn retina eye injury, and a long layoff.
On top of all that, there’s been talk of Spence indulging in alcohol, and it’s unclear how that will impact his performance against Ugas.
If Spence hasn’t been living the life of a professional athlete in the last two years, he’ll be found out by Ugas.
Physically, Spence looks like he’s aged in the last two years since his war with Shawn Porter in September 2019. How much of that is from the car accident and his hard-living is unknown.
Spence will be the A-side in this fight, which means that if any of the rounds or remotely close, you’ve got to assume the judges will give them to him rather than Ugas.
It’s safe to say that unless Ugas wins the rounds in a clear-cut manner, Spence will be given them based on his popularity.
Errol is essential for the sport of boxing, as he’s a genuine PPV star and easily the biggest star in the 147-lb division now that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are retired.
Yordenis defending Spence
For Ugas to defeat the biggest star in the welterweight division, it’s going to take an exceptional performance and a lot of luck.
In 2018 when I win an elimination the IBF.I said if #SpenceCrawford fights,I take off to one side,I know this fight had to have happened. Now the winner of this #SpenceUgas with 3belts can fight for the undisputed.If you are not happy,then what you want is to keep complaining.
— Yordenis Ugas (@YordenisUgas) December 22, 2021
Spence may be biting off more than he can chew in facing Ugas in his first fight back after a long 14 to 15-month layoff and might have been better off taking a tune-up first.
We know that Spence says he doesn’t believe in taking tune-ups, but he may regret not making an exception in this case.
Spence didn’t look good in his last fight against Danny Garcia in December 2020, and now he’s coming off another long layoff and facing an even better fighter in Ugas.