Returning听Pacquiao听takes on听Ug谩s听in WBA title clash
By Michael Angelo S. Murillo听
FILIPINO听eight-division world champion Manny听鈥淧acman鈥澨齈acquiao听collides with reigning World Boxing Association听(WBA)听super welterweight champion听Yordenis听Ug谩s听of Cuba in a much-awaited ring return by the former where he is installed as a听favorite.听
Slated for Sunday, Aug. 22 (Manila time) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Mr.听Pacquiao听(62-7-2, 39 KOs) battles Mr.听Ug谩s听in a scheduled 12-rounder, his first fight in two years.听
Mr.听Pacquiao, 42, last fought in July 2019 where he defeated American Keith Thurman by split decision for the WBA super welterweight title, which was given to Mr.听Ug谩s听early this year with the Filipino champion rendered 鈥渃hampion in recess.鈥听
But Mr.听Ug谩s听is a late replacement opponent after original听Pacquiao听opponent Errol Spence Jr. had to pull out last week because of an eye injury.听
Fight analyst听Nissi听Icasiano听shared that while Mr.听Ug谩s听has some things going for him, it is going to be hard not to like the chances of Mr.听Pacquiao, also a sitting senator of the republic, in their fight this weekend.听
鈥淚t’s safe to say that this will be an uphill battle for听Yordenis听Ug谩s. I don’t see the qualities of boxers who were able to solve the pesky style of Manny听Pacquiao听in him. What I mean about that is he doesn’t have the counterpunching, chin and grit of Juan Manuel Marquez. He doesn’t have the finesse of Floyd听Mayweather, though he was a product of a lauded and proud Cuban amateur boxing program,鈥 Mr.听Icasiano听said in an interview听with鈥大象传媒.听
鈥淚t’s really hard to tell if he has a real fighting chance against Manny听Pacquiao, especially since he floundered against the likes of Shawn Porter,鈥 he added.听
The analyst further said that it is just unfortunate that the听Pacquiao-Spence fight did not push through as it could well have been a fight of the year candidate, but he understood where the organizers were coming in bringing Mr.听Ug谩s听as a replacement.听
鈥淎 lot of people are complaining that Manny听Pacquiao听is fighting a relatively unknown opponent. But if Team听Pacquiao听and PBC (Premier Boxing Champions) would opt for a boxer with star power, it could put the much-awaited ring return of Manny听Pacquiao听in danger. The choice was simple听鈥斕齬escheduled or totally听canceled,鈥 he said.听
鈥淚 think we can say that听Ug谩s听is the best option for Manny听Pacquiao听at the moment.鈥听
For 35-year-old and former Olympian听Mr.听Ug谩s听(26-4) to have a chance, Mr.听Icasiano听said he should at least make it a 鈥渄og fight.鈥听
鈥淏y making it a dog fight as rough as Jeff Horn did a few years ago would at least keep him up with the听Filipino.听But again, I still doubt if he can hold out when he decides to engage in that kind of pace,鈥 the analyst said.听
鈥淧eople say that he may pull off a听Lehlo听Ledwaba听upset. But for me, I don鈥檛 see that happening because first he is already 35, and, second, he has been scouted,鈥 Mr.听Icasiano听added, referring to the late champion听Ledwaba听who Mr.听Pacquiao听upset with a sixth-round TKO to win the International Boxing Federation super bantamweight title in 2001, which many consider as the start of听Pacman’s听legendary ascent.听
Asked to call the fight, the analyst said 鈥淚 won’t be surprised if听Pacquiao听gets the finish within six rounds or at least dominates the fight like he did against Chris听Algieri.鈥听
The Pacquiao-Ug谩s fight can be seen over various platforms including over TV5 on free TV and on Cignal TV channel 11 and Sky Cable channel 10.
