Manny Pacquiao relishes Yordenis Ugas fight after Errol Spence injury – ‘this is the one who took my belt’
- Filipino boxing icon will now challenge Cuban Ugas, who was given the WBA super welterweight title after Pacquiaio was stripped for ‘inactivity’
- The fighting senator says he’s praying for Spence’s ‘full and complete recovery’ with the American suffering a torn retina
Manny Pacquiao is determined to win back the belt he never lost after accepting a late-notice fight against Yordenis Ugas following Errol Spence Jnr’s withdrawal from their August 21 bout.
The Filipino boxing icon was set to face IBF and WBC welterweight champ Spence in Las Vegas, but the American suffered a torn retina in training. Pacquiao will now challenge Cuban Ugas for the WBA super welterweight title on the same date in Las Vegas.
“I came back from worse,” Spence wrote in a series of tweets. “Went to three different doctors, all said the same thing. I’ll be back for the winner for sure. I was taught to get through it and keep going.”
“I pray for a full and complete recovery for @errolspencejr,” Pacquiao tweeted.
“We’re not underestimating Ugas,” he later told Philippines media at trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles on Tuesday. “We should make sure we’re still focused and then we’ll win.
“It’s the WBA world championship, so it’s still a big fight. It’s a great honour for us.”