SPORTS SHORTS 193: WHO IS YORDENIS UGAS? MANNY PACQUIAO'S NEXT OPPONENT AFTER ERROL SPENCE WITHDRAWS (FIRST OF A SERIES)
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 12 Aug 2021
Yordenis Ugas will replace Errol Spence, Jr., who was forced to withdraw from his August 21 title fight against Manny Pacquiao because of a retinal tear in his left eye. The main event will still be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ugas will defend his WBA Super welterweight title against Pacquiao, the former owner of his belt.
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Yordenis Ugas was born on July 14, 1986 (age 35) in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba and was the WBA (Super) welterweight champion since January 2021, having previously held the WBA (Regular) title from 2020 until he was elevated to Super champion when Manny Pacquiao was declared "WBA Champion in Recess".
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His nickname is "54 Milagros". Of his 30 total fights 26 are wins, 12 by KO, and 4 losses. He fought 196 rounds with a 40% KO rate. Ugas is an orthodox fighter.
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Manny Pacquiao commented on Yordenis Ugas tapped as a replacement for Errol Spence Jr. in a recent interview with FightHype.com. The eight-division world champion admitted to have altered his training regimen according to Yordenis' fighting style and wished Spence early recuperation.
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"I pray for his fast recovery from his eye operation. You know, most important thing is health. That's the first concern. Good, I mean, we cannot underestimate Ugas. Ugas also has experience in boxing so we have to make sure that we are in 100 percent condition. We will adjust our training," said Manny Pacquiao.
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As an amateur boxer Ugás won the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and he was the gold medalist in the 2005 World Championships in Mianyang, China both in the lightweight class.
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He won the gold in the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia. In the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil he also captured the gold. He got the silver in the 2005 World Cup in Moscow, Russia. All his medals were seized in the lightweight category.
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Ugas was U17 (cadets) world champion in 2003 but he was defeated at the world junior championships in 2004 by British star Amir Khan. He was bronze medalist at the national boxing championships 2004 at the featherweight class.
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In 2005 he moved up to lightweight where he won the Cuban Championships from 2005 to 2008 and became an instant celebrity in his country. He won a tournament called PanAm Championships in 2005.
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In his professional debut, he outclassed United States' Dino Dumonjic by UD on July at Club Europe, Atlanta, Georgia.
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He won in his later fights against Americans DeJuan Jackson by 1st round KO, Marqus Jackson by 2nd round TKO, Anthony Adams by 1st round TKO, Carlos Musquez by UD, Kenny Abril by UD, Fernando Rodriguez by UD, Rynell Griffin by 2nd round TKO, and Esteban Almaraz by UD.
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He also defeated The Bahamas' Anthony Woods by UD and Puerto Rico's Carlos Garcia Hernandez by 6th round TKO.
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Ugas suffered his first professional loss in his 12th fight to American Johnny Garcia by split decision on March 23, 2012 at the Casino Del Sol, Tucson, Arizona.
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Then he recovered by winning against American Dedrick Bell by 3rd round KO, Mexican Cosme Rivera by UD, American Adan Hernandez by 1st round KO, and another American John Williams by UD.
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He incurred his second loss in his 17th fight to United States' Emmanuel Robles by split decision on February 28, 2014 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, San Diego, California for the WBC Latino interim super lightweight title
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Ugas also suffered successive defeat to United States' Amir Imam by UD on May 10, 2014 at the USC Galen Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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He was back on the winning track stopping these fighters: Dominican Republic's Jonathan Batista by 2nd round TKO, United States' Ray Robinson by 7th round TKO, Nicaragua's Nelson Lara by 2nd round TKO, and United States' Bryant Perrella by 4th round TKO.
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Ugas also decisioned Argentina's Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo by UD, Puerto Rico's Thomas Dulorme by UD, Georgia's Levan Ghvamichava by SD, and United States' Jamal James by UD.
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Yordenis Ugas posted on his Twitter: "The ones who made fun of me when Pacquiao came back and got into a fight with Spence. I also want to gift you a good fight. I am a humble and hardworking fighter, I came and came only 5 years ago I was 15-3.Thanks to all who support me and have trusted me. Thankful."
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Russell Westbrook spent the first decade of his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, starting as a first-round pick to an All-Star player then to NBA MVP, but the dream of returning to Los Angeles someday to play for his hometown Lakers seemed further and further from reality.
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"Being from L.A., you always wish that you can play for your home team and be able to do that," Westbrook was quoted by ESPN. "But that's definitely something that always kind of circled around in my mind. And maybe one day. But I would always come back and be like, 'Ahh, that probably won't happen.' "
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"It's surreal," the triple double king said. "I think it still hasn't hit me yet, being from L.A., growing up not too far from here and being able to watch the parades -- try to go to them, try to miss school to try to go to them. Being a Laker fan and being from L.A., but now everything coming full circle for me."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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