On his return to the ring after two years of inactivity, Manny pacquiao could not meet expectations and this Sunday he lost against the Cuban Yordenis Ugás, who made history at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, United States, and retained the World Boxing Association Super welterweight belt by unanimous decision and after 12 rounds.
The Filipino put the gloves back on after a long period out of the ring and was the protagonist of an impressive event. Ugas, recruited at the last minute after Pacquiao’s original opponent Errol Spence Jr. retired with injury, dominated the Filipino icon with his jab and cleaner shots to win on all three scorecards for 115-113, 116-112 and 116-112.
“My respects to him (Pacquiao) who is a legend and gave me this opportunity”, said the Cuban in the ring. The Filipino, for his part, acknowledged that it was difficult for him to “make adjustments inside the ring”, but stressed that his opponent “did a good job.” “I thank the fans and everyone for making this fight possible for me. My respects for Ugás who made a good fight “added.
Four months into his 43rd birthday, this could have been the historic Filipino boxer’s farewell from professionalism. The only one in the sport of fists to have been consecrated eight times as world champion in different categories, accumulated more than 25 years of career with a record of 62 victories, 39 of them by the fast track of the KO, plus two draws and seven defeats, to which now the fall to Ugás was added.
The left-handed fighter, who made his debut at the beginning of 1995, entered the ring for the last time in mid-2019. On that occasion he faced the American Keith Thurman at the MGM in Las Vegas and, after beating him by points in a split decision, he snatched him the title of the welterweight category of the World Boxing Association. After this conquest, “Pacman” was declared as champion in recess, which is why his rival rose as monarch of the category.
Throughout his activity he achieved unforgettable triumphs against other boxing history in recent decades. He went on to beat Juan Manuel Márquez, with whom he faced four times, he also beat Oscar de La Hoya (there was no title at stake), Miguel Cotto and Adrián Boner a couple of years ago. In 2015 he faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBO, WBA, WBC and The Ring welterweight belts, and was defeated by a unanimous jury decision.
For its part, with the victory of this Sunday Ugás achieved the greatest milestone of his life: At 35 years old, the Santiago de Cuba-born one had an enormous journey through amateur boxing. He was world champion in that condition in 2005. Two years later, at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio, he won the gold medal. Then at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he stepped onto the podium and was bronze.
That was his last big appearance before turning pro in 2010. Yordenis accumulates a record that includes 26 wins -12 by KO- and four defeats. A little over two years ago, in 2019, he fell to American Shawn Porter for the WBC crown and it was in September of last year when he beat Abel Ramos, a triumph that earned him the WBA regular title.
However, the Cuban was not originally going to be the Filipino’s rival. At first, Pacquiao’s opponent was going to be Errol spence, but the born in the United States suffered a retinal detachment in his left eye and will have to undergo surgery that took him away from the main event of an evening that will have three other fights on the night of Las Vegas.
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