If the upcoming super WBA welterweight title bout against Manny Pacquiao would be the last for the Filipino boxing legend, Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugas is hoping to give a performance to remember for all the boxing fans around the world.
Pacquiao and Ugas met for the first time in Tuesday, Aug. 17 at the Toshiba Plaza days before they dispute the super WBA belt at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, Aug. 21 there.
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"It means a lot for me to be able to fight Manny Pacquiao and if this is Manny Pacquiao's last time making his way in the ring, he will fight someone who is of a caliber like me, who will put on a great fight for the fans around the world. I'm going to give my best effort," said Ugas, who got elevated to WBA's "super" status after the world sanctioning boxing denied Pacquiao's appeal for reinstatement last month.
"What I wanna make sure is if I'm the final guy to step inside the ring with Manny Pacquiao, I want to make sure that I brought everything and that I got the best out of him. And I know together we will make for a great fight," said the Cuban champion, with the help of a translator.
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In the same open-air event, the 42-year-old Pacquiao earlier hinted at the possibility of his retirement depending on the result of his fight against Ugas.
Pacquiao, who will turn 43 in December, has not fought since scoring a split decision win against Keith Thurman in July 2019 en route to the super WBA title then. He has 62 wins on top of 39 knockouts, seven defeats, and two draws in his decorated career.
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At age 40, Pacquiao, the only eight-division world boxing champion, made history by becoming the oldest welterweight champion in the sport.
Chances for the Errol Spence Jr. showdown are unlikely at this time after the unified WBC and IBF champion reportedly suffered from a retinal detachment as confirmed by ESPN's Mike Coppinger.
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Dr. Thomas F. Kelly determined Spence, who is undergoing recovery post-surgery, was unfit to compete after the ophthalmologic exam with Ugas serving as the replacement two weeks ahead of the Aug. 21 bout.
Pacquiao's decision to fight Spence some other time now all boils down in the aftermath of the Ugas fight.
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Ugas, for his part, improved to a 26-4 record after beating Abel Ramos last September.
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