Ugas scores big upset of Pacquiao and much more from fight night in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Big underdog Yordenis Ugas, a little known fighter, validated his claim to a welterweight world title by upsetting the great Manny Pacquiao and possibly sending him into retirement on Saturday night.
Ugas notched a competitive unanimous decision victory to retain the WBA title before a pro-Pacquiao crowd of 17,438 at T-Mobile Arena, where Pacquiao may have had his last fight.
The judges had it 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113 for Ugas, who at one point was out of boxing for more than two years after suffering a couple of losses and having had problems making the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds.
Pacquiao, at 42 and fighting for the first time in two years, looked ragged in the competitive fight against Ugas, whom he agreed to fight on 11 days’ notice after unified titlist Errol Spence Jr. was ruled out against Pacquiao after he was diagnosed with a torn retina in a pre-fight medical exam.
Because Ugas’ opponent in the co-feature, Fabian Maidana, suffered a cut around the same time as Spence’s diagnoses, Pacquiao and Ugas agreed to meet in the new main event of the Fox Sports pay-per-view – and Ugas toppled one of the most iconic fighters in history.
I covered the fight for RingTV.com, so you can read my full story on the historical bout here: https://www.ringtv.com/625959-yordenis-ugas-upsets-manny-pacquiao-via-unanimous-decision/
I also wrote about the rest of the card for RingTV:
PPV undercard: While the pay-per-view undercard lacked significant fights and big names, it did not lack for action.
In the co-feature, former world titleholders Robert Guerrero and Victor Ortiz, top-flight fighters a decade ago, who faded from their perches with losses and layoffs, were trying to at least get on a path they hoped could lead them back to a world title fight by facing each other.
They did and it was Guerrero who did just enough, scraping by Ortiz by close unanimous decision in a decent fight.
The other two PPV bouts were outstanding. Featherweight Mark Magsayo, a Pacquiao-backed fighter from the Philippines, scored a devastating 10th-round knockout of Julio Ceja in their WBC title elimination fight.
In the opener, featherweight Carlos Castro stopped former world title challenger Oscar Escandon in the 10th round of an action-packed and highly competitive battle.
Read my PPV undercard story here: https://www.ringtv.com/625957-robert-guerrero-edges-victor-ortiz-mark-magsayo-kos-julio-ceja-on-pacquiao-ugas-ppv-undercard/
PBC on Fox prelims: A few hours before the PPV began, Fox televised three preliminary bouts. Lightweight prospects Frank Martin and Jose Valenzuela and heavyweight prospect Steven Torres all looked good in their victories. I wrote about those bouts: https://www.ringtv.com/625952-frank-martin-shuts-out-ryan-kielczewski-on-pacquiao-ugas-undercard/
Manny’s final ring walk?
Pacquiao’s ring walks always give me the chills. “Eye of the Tiger,” his walk out music, is an epic song and the atmosphere at T-Mobile Arena was off the charts. I busted out my phone and shot this two-minute video of what could be his final ring walk.
Boxing Social interview
I joined Andi Purewal from Boxing Social right after I filed my story to discuss Pacquiao-Ugas, what might be next for both of them and also I told two stories about my fondest memories of Pacquiao. Please watch that video here:
The scorecard
Here is the official Pacquiao-Ugas scorecard
Show and tell
I have saved literally every single credential from every single fight I have ever covered. Obviously, the one from Pacquiao-Ugas — with my head shot from about 18 years ago, when I still had brown hair instead of gray — will go into the collection.
More show and tell
In June 2018, I traveled to Frisco, Texas, to cover Errol Spence’s second welterweight title defense, which was against mandatory challenger Carlos Ocampo. On the undercard, Ugas, fighting as a middleweight, stopped Jonathan Batista in the second round. Two days before the fight, Ugas approached me in the hotel lobby. He doesn’t speak English, so one of the people with him who did told me that he wanted to tell me that he appreciated something nice I had written about him that had been translated for him. He also wanted to know if I would take a picture with him. Of course, I would. His friend snapped the photo and later texted it to me. Here is that photo from a time when he was an unknown preliminary fighter.
Pacquiao-Ugas photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC
I don't regard it as that big and upset Dan. Let's be frank.Spence pulling out has been a blessing for Manny.He would have been humiliated, beaten up and worse by Spence. Indeed Shades of Ali v Holmes. Moreover I'd say his stock has almost disappeared by this result.Why would Spence or anyone want to beat up an old man, even one with such a resume as Pacquiao. His should enjoy his well earned retirement and begin a new journey helping his people.
I’d say this was Manny on a bad day, but at his age he should definitely think hard about retirement. He’s had an AMAZING career. He looked so small in there against Ugas. I’m sure on a better (and younger) day he could have out hustled Ugas, but not to be at almost 43.
I wouldn’t mind seeing a swan song performance if he wants that, he’s earned it but it isn’t necessary, and I hope he can let it go at this point. Go do humanitarian work in the Philippines, hell, go be president.