This Saturday night at AT&T stadium, two welterweight champions clash in a big unification bout as WBC and IBF welterweight champion and Dallas, Texas native, Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr (27-0, 21 KO) takes on WBA welterweight champion, Yordenis Ugas (27-4, 12 KO).
World Champions Collide to Unify 3 Welterweight World Titles
There is plenty riding on the line as the winner of this bout will walk away with three of the four major titles in Boxing, as the fourth would be settled in a potential bout against WBO champion, Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford in the immediate future.
This will be the first fight for Spence since December 2020 when he defeated Danny Garcia in a dominant unanimous decision victory.
Ugas Rises to the Occasion
Soon after that, he was 11 days away from having the biggest fight of his career against the legendary Manny Pacquiao in August of last year. Unfortunately it was retinal detachment to his left eye that caused the unified champion to pull out of the mega fight.
Enter, Yordenis Ugas. The Cuban boxer was called in to be the replacement for Spence, in which many thought would be just a tune up for Pac-Man. In spectacular and upsetting fashion, Ugas defeated Pacquiao in the biggest win of his career via unanimous decision in what would turn out to be the last time Manny Pacquiao would lace up the gloves.
In a strange twist of fate, it is poetic Spence vs Ugas takes place. The Cuban champion now faces the man he stepped in for on 10 days notice to defeat the future hall of famer that once alluded Spence Jr.
Something to Prove
Both men will look to enter the ring this Saturday with something to prove. For Spence, it’s a matter of how good of a show can he put on since his inactivity, and how will his injuries of late come into play.
For Ugas, it’s a matter of once again proving how legitimate of an opponent he is and that the Pacquiao win was not just an off night for an older fighter.
Spence vs Ugas will be shown on Showtime Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 PM ET.
Main Photo:Embed from Getty Images