Notebook: Ugas, Barrios out to prove they're top welterweights

Kossobutskiy addresses DQ for low blows against Ajagba; plans for Keyshawn Davis' next fight; Quick hits; Show and tell

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When he was last seen in the ring, Yordenis Ugas squared off with Errol Spence Jr. in a three-belt welterweight unification fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, 16 months ago. It was a fight that took place eight months after Ugas notched his biggest win, a unanimous decision to retain the WBA 147-pound belt against Manny Pacquiao that sent the legend into retirement.

Now Ugas is on the comeback trail, having overcome a broken orbital bone in the one-sided 10th-round knockout loss to Spence.

Ugas will face Mario Barrios for the vacant WBC interim welterweight title on the strong pay-per-view undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight title defense against Jermell Charlo on Sept. 30 (Showtime PPV and PPV.com, 8 p.m. ET) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, site of Ugas’ memorable victory over Pacquiao.

Ugas, Barrios and the four other pay-per-view undercard fighters — junior middleweights Jesus Ramos Jr. (20-0, 16 KOs) and Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs), who meet in the 12-round co-feature, and middleweight up-and-comers Elijah Garcia (15-0, 12 KOs) and Armando Resendiz (14-1, 10 KOs), who meet in the 10-round opener — were on hand to discuss their bouts at a news conference on Tuesday at the Conga Room at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs), a Cuban defector fighting out of Miami, is anxious to get back to work. He said he is now healthy after recovering from the broken facial bone, proud of the heart he showed against Spence and unconcerned by whispers from some that at age 37 and coming off a long layoff and harsh injury that his time has passed.

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