- Yordenis Ugas’ opponent, Fabian Maidana, also suffered an injury to his left eye last Monday which forced him out of their co-main event bout.
- With both Ugas and Manny Pacquiao losing their opponents in an eerie coincidence, both have agreed to fight each other instead.
- Pacquiao is expected to be the betting favorite against Ugas but the latter should be a live underdog.
The whole world knows that Errol Spence has withdrawn from the Manny Pacquiao bout due to an eye injury. Everyone also knows that Pacquiao will now be fighting Yordenis Ugas in the event:
Errol Spence Jr. has a torn retina in his left eye and has withdrawn from his Aug. 21 welterweight title fight with Manny Pacquiao, PBC announced.
Pacquiao will now fight Yordenis Ugas for the WBA welterweight title. (via @MikeCoppinger) pic.twitter.com/hK6JW9wVtt
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) August 10, 2021
But that’s not the entire story.
Ugas was supposed to fight Marcos Maidana’s brother Fabian in the co-main event of the Pac vs Spence PPV show. However, Maidana suffered a similar injury to Spence, on the same eye and on the same day.
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Maidana’s injury was the reason why Ugas was left without an opponent and why a fight with Pacquiao was easily put up. But while some are disappointed with the new main event, it’s one that has a storyline big enough to create a rivalry on August 21st.
Ugas Promoted to “Super Champion” After Pacquiao was Demoted
The WBA has named Manny Pacquiao “Champion in Recess”, promoting Yordenis Ugas to WBA ’Super’ Welterweight Champion ? pic.twitter.com/uErkP0kfbM
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) January 29, 2021
Ugas defeated Abel Ramos in September 2020 to become the WBA (regular) welterweight champion. Last January, the Cuban was promoted to full champion status or “super” champion after the WBA declared Pacquiao as “champion in recess” for failing to make a title defense since winning the belt from Thurman. Pacquiao’s camp tried to request for reinstatement after the Spence bout was announced but it was rejected by the organization.
The 35-year old Ugas is a former bronze medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. He challenged Shawn Porter for the WBC welterweight title in March 2019 but lost via a close and disputed split decision. Since that loss, Ugas has posted a 3-0 record while opening and closing as a sizeable or heavy betting favorite in all three matches. In his last bout against Ramos, Ugas closed at odds higher than +1000 but was nearly upset by the stubborn Ramos.
He has a record of 26-4 with 12 knockouts and has never been knocked out as a professional. Ugas was a heavy -565 betting underdog against the highly-touted Jamal James whom he beat in a wide decision. Since that win, he has gone 9-1 in his last 10 bouts, opening and closing as betting favorite in all except the Porter fight.
From Underdog to Favorite?
Manny Pacquiao was about +155 underdog to Errol Spence. Now that Spence is out with an eye injury, I imagine Pacquiao will be the betting favorite against replacement Yordenis Ugas. But only 11 days out, Ugas is a live dog and a pretty damn good replacement opponent.
— Josh Katzowitz (@joshkatzowitz) August 10, 2021
Pacquiao opened as a +350 betting underdog to Spence who was listed at -450 when the betting lines first opened at the best boxing betting sites. However, the odds that favored Spence continued to dwindle since Pacman arrived in the United States to train. Prior to Spence’s withdrawal, Pac was floating between +174 to +145, depending on which sportsbook you use.
Ugas meanwhile, was expected to be the favorite against the unknown Maidana. But with the change in opponents, he will likely face Pacquiao as the underdog. Pacman has always been the darling of the oddsmakers with heavy betting money always coming in for the Filipino fighting senator. Pacquiao however, was the underdog in his last bout when he fought Keith Thurman.
But while Ugas is expected to be the underdog in this bout, he is definitely a live dog. The Cuban is tall and rangy and is an excellent technical boxer. Unlike Spence whom Pacquiao could’ve lured to a brawl, Ugas is a smart fighter who will prefer to paw away at Pacquiao from a distance rather than risk getting caught in Pacman’s hellacious flurries.
