PACQUIAO VS UGAS (FIGHT ANALYSIS)
By Ralph Rimpell
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 21 Aug 2021
On Saturday night ring legend, future Boxing Hall of Famer, eight division world champion, and current WBA welterweight champion “In Recess” Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39KOs) returns to the ring after a 25 month absence from the ring largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We last saw Pacquiao defeat and take a world title from a man 11 years younger than him (Keith Thurman).
Pacquiao was supposed be fighting unified welterweight (WBC/IBF) champion Errol Spence who had to pull out of the fight due to a left eye injury (detached retina), and is now fighting Cuban fighter Yordenis Ugas (26-4, 12KOs) who had been elevated to WBA “Super” welterweight champion from WBA “Regular” welterweight champion because the World Boxing Association (WBA) had stripped Pacquiao due to inactivity in January 2021. Ugas was also scheduled to defend his title against Fabian Maidana, but as it turns out Ugas’s opponent had to withdraw from his fight because of an injury as well.
When Pacquiao signed to fight Spence, his team petitioned the WBA to reverse their ruling that stripped Pacquiao of his title and to reinstate him as champion, which was denied. Reports are Pacquiao is not happy that he was NOT reinstated as WBA (super) champion. Because he is the WBA welterweight champion “In Recess”, Ugas has agreed to replace Spence, Pacquiao now has the opportunity to literally take matters into his own hands or fist to do what the WBA refused to which is give him his WBA title back. While Ugas is not Spence which is the fight the Boxing world and many “mainstream” fans were interested in, this is an excellent “backdrop” on why people should tune into Pay Per View (PPV) or attend Pacquiao vs Ugas. So what can we expect from both fighters on fight night?
Pacquiao must continue to use his speed, good footwork, angles, use the entire ring, controlled aggression etc. Reports are Pacquiao is in excellent shape and had trained as if thought he is a fighter in his 20s. Ugas has a height advantage. Pacquiao has to fight Ugas the same way he fought Jeff Horn and Antonio Margarito (Both fighters taller than Pacquiao). He has to throw combinations and be in and out of harm’s way from Ugas’s punches. Ugas is a slow starter at times. Pacquiao must not allow Ugas to gain his rhythm, but rather he must disturb Ugas’s rhythm so Ugas does not sweep or win late rounds so the fight does not go to the judges. Pacquiao showed great stamina in the Margarito fight, but in the Horn fight he didn’t maintain the same pace late in the fight, even though many thought he defeated Horn, but officially he lost. Pacquiao must be first in his attack and not allow Ugas to get his punches off.
What does Ugas need to do in order to defeat Pacquiao?
Ugas has the height and reach advantage over Pacquiao. He must use those to his advantage. It will not be wise if he moves forward and tries to press the action against Pacquiao because Pacquiao is the better and faster boxer. Ugas must use his jab, box, and not allow Pacquiao to get on the inside. Because Pacquiao is the faster fighter, Ugas must time Pacquiao when he attacks to try and land a solid punch much the way Juan Manuel Marquez did when he knocked Pacquiao in their 4th fight in the 6th round that knockout out Pacquiao. Ugas must not box (run) all night, but he must cautiously fight and exchange with Pacquiao when the opportunity presents itself and gain Pacquiao’s respect. The winner of this fight is who can impose his game plan over the other fighter.
This fight may not be Pacquiao vs Spence, but Pacquiao-Ugas will likely be a very good fight. This writer picks Pacquiao to defeat Ugas by 8th round TKO.
Boxing Notes
Spence was diagnosed with the same eye injury (retinal) that Ray Leonard was diagnosed with in 80s. Leonard retired due to it, only to come back years later and continue his career and was largely successful. Spence has had surgery to repair his eye once it was diagnosed and says he will resume his boxing career. If Spence is cleared to fight, the “Big fights” must be made when he return without delay. Fights like Pacquiao (pending the outcome of the Ugas fight) and Terrance Crawford (Pending the outcome of his match against Sean Porter)…Light Heavyweight Contender Marcus Browne (25-1, 16KOs) will fight for a World title when he faces the most feared and dangerous champion in the division unified WBC/IBF Artur Beterbiev (16-0, 16KOs). The WBC has ordered Beterbiev to defend against Browne. According to ESPN.com, Browne is saying the right things, by saying, "This is the moment I've been working for my entire career; this is the most important fight of my life," Browne told ESPN. "I'm coming with all the tools in the tool box; not leaving without those straps." He further went on to say, "Most of the other guys go in the ring scared to fight [Beterbiev]," and “They've lost before the bell rings. That's not how we're coming." This writer gives Browne a lot of credit. Most light heavyweights who I have spoken to are hoping for a world title bout would prefer WBO champ Joe Smith, WBA champ Dimitri Bivol, then Beterbiev precisely in that order. If Browne can defeat Beterbiev, he will crack the Pound for Pound (P4P) list for best fighters in the world and he will no doubt be in discussions for a mega fight against Canelo Alvarez…Antony Joshua v Oleksandr Usky is on September 25, 2021. Some say Evander Holyfield was the greatest cruiserweight champion. Holyfield was an Undisputed cruiserweight champion (WBA, WBC, IBF) 3 belts simultaneously. Usky is no doubt in that discussion (greatest Cruiserweight champion) because he too was an undisputed champion, not 3, but a 4 belt champion (WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO). He too like Holyfield vacated his titles in an attempt to become Heavyweight champion like Holyfield. This writer hasn’t seen footage on Usky sparring other heavyweights, only for weight training. If Usky’s sparring is as good as his weight training Joshua must bring his “A” game to keep his titles.
Contact Writer: RLuvsboxing@aol.com
***Ralph Rimpell is a writer based out of New York and is a Boxing Correspondent for Philboxing.com. Ralph holds an undergraduate degree from City University of New York. He has been a Boxing Writer for over ten years having written for several top boxing websites on the World Wide Web. Before becoming a writer, Ralph's passion was for professional wrestling until he realized professional wrestling was entertainment and not a real sport. It was at that time the 1984 US Olympic team made up of future stars such as Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, etc. entered the professional ranks and signed with promotional outfit Main Events.It was also at that time a young exciting Heavyweight originally hailing from Brooklyn named Mike Tyson also turned professional and became the face of boxing. Young boxing fan Ralph just couldn't get enough of boxing as a large part of it was being broadcast on "free TV". As time went on, Ralph felt boxing writers were not being forthcoming with their boxing coverage, opinion pieces, interviews, etc. So Ralph decided to write an article and submitted it to a Boxing website thinking it would be deleted and ignored by the Editor. To Ralph's surprise his article was posted on their website and the readers embraced it. The rest is history.
"I thank God for the Internet because it has created opportunities for writers like myself who likely would not have been given an opportunity to write for print publications. I hope someday soon to expand my role in Boxing on different levels." -- Ralph Rimpell
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ralph Rimpell.
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