SPORTS SHORTS 42: ERROLL SPENCE AND YORDENIS UGAS ARE INTERESTED IN A THREE-BELT UNIFICATION FIGHT
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 31 Jan 2021
Errol Spence Jr and Yordenis Ugas seem to be heading for a three-belt unification fight at the welterweight division, following Ugas being promoted as WBA “super" welterweight champion with Manny Pacquiao downgraded to “champion in recess.” Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), age 30 years of Long Island, New York, United States, is the WBC and IBF welterweight champion, and Ugas (26-4, 12 KOs), age 34 years of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, presently is the recognized WBA super champion, and PBC can conveniently set up this unification.
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Both fighters are already posting it on Twitter.
Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) January 29, 2021:
"all you needed was something I want #strapseason"
Yordenis Ugas (@YordenisUgas) January 29, 2021:
"I have it. We are going to do it for three online championships. Let's give the fans a great fight. I'm ready"
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The fight the boxing world wants from Spence is against WBO titlist Terence Crawford, but the possibility of it happening is remote. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum blamed Spence himself who was the hindrance and not Al Haymon or PBC. If Spence would win over Ugas, he would still have more fight options at PBC. He could look up to a rematch with Shawn Porter and a potential Canelo Alvarez clash. But it seems Canelo will find it hard to go down to middleweight again, and for Spence to go beyond 160 lbs. is dangerous.
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On March 9, 2019, Ugas fought his first career title bout against Shawn Porter for the WBC welterweight championship. Ugas fought excellently and landed the heavier blows. Ugas also had a better finish and cut Porter near his left eye in the tenth round. Several fans were surprised when two of the judges scored the fight for Porter, 116-112 and 115-113, while only one judge favored Ugas, 117-111. The crowd booed the controversial split-decision win for Porter. On September 6, 2020, Ugas fought Abel Ramos for the vacant WBA Regular welterweight title. Ugas dominated Ramos, but it was scored as a split-decision, with one judge favoring Ramos, scoring the fight 117-111, while the other two had it closely for Ugas, both scored 115-113.
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Former four division world champion Roy Jones Jr. will hold a position in the Russian Boxing Federation, according to the announcement made by its Secretary General Kirill Shchekutyev to Russian News Agency Tass. Shchekutyev was unanimously appointed as the RBF’s secretary general during the Federation’s report and election conference on Friday. He replaced Umar Kremlov, who was elected as the president of International Boxing Association (AIBA).
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Jones became a Russian citizen several years ago and received a Russian passport from Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2015. Because of his affiliation, he was banned from entering Ukraine. Jones fought in Russia four times, winning over Algerian Zine Eddine Benmakhlouf by unanimous decision and Egyptian Hany Atiyo by 1st round KO, and losing to Russian Denis Lebedev by 10th round KO and Welsh Enzo Maccarinelli by 4th round TKO. Sometimes he travels over there to conduct master class training sessions with the local amateurs fighters.
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Jones, 51-years-old, is very proud of his Russian citizenship and is widely regarded as a sports icon in the country. He held multiple world championships in four weight classes, including titles at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight, and is the only boxer in history to start his professional career at light middleweight and went on to win a heavyweight title. Jones fought to an eight round draw with former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Their pay-per-view exhibition was a financial success with 1.6 million buys.
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TMZ reports that the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul exhibition officially will not be happening as planned on Feb. 20, with “COVID and other things” were the reasons for the postponement. Paul had already practically announced that the match will not be going to proceed on its scheduled date, so this should be no surprise to anyone. This might take place in a few months, or possibly later in the year when the crowds are available in the venue, and when people are more interested to buy pay-per-view between a retired boxing celebrity and a YouTube guy. Mayweather has not posted anything in his own social media about this exhibition.
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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made his latest achievement in his career records Saturday, by moving up to 13th place in all-time 3-pointers with a first-quarter shot against the Boston Celtics. James entered the game with an average conversion of 2.8 3-pointers per game at 41.7 percent, both career highs. James had 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in the Lakers thriller win against the Celtics, 96-95.
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LeBron James is at the No. 1 spot in Sekou Smith's first ranking of Kia MVP candidates. Sekou Smith is a veteran NBA reporter and NBA TV analyst. Source nba.com. Based on his own personal ranking, the Top 5 this week in the 2019-20 Kia Race to the MVP Ladder:
1. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Season stats: 24.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 7.9 apg, 1.0 spg
2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Season stats: 27.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 8.0 apg, 1.0 spg
3. Paul George, LA Clippers
Season stats: 24.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.6 sp
4. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Season stats: 24.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.8 bpg, 1.1 spg
5. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Season stats: 29.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.0 spg
The Next Five:
6. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
7. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Tie-8. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers & Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
9. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
10. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
And five more: Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards; Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics; Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers; James Harden, Houston Rockets/Brooklyn Nets; Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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