Manny Pacquiao cannot knock me out, says Yordenis Ugas – ‘he’s not had a KO in a long time’
- Trainer Freddie Roach bullish about Filipino boxing icon’s chances of getting a 40th career finish
- WBA super welterweight champ Ugas ‘100 per cent certain’ Pacquiao will not stop him, as he promises ‘12 hard rounds’ at final press conference
Manny Pacquiao will go in search of a 40th career knockout when he fights to regain the WBA super welterweight title this weekend, but Yordenis Ugas and the champion’s camp are adamant it will not be against them.
The 35-year-old Cuban (26-4, 12 KOs) will defend the title he was awarded this year after the 42-year-old Filipino icon (62-7-2) was stripped for inactivity, when their pair clash at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
But eight-weight world champ Pacquiao has just one knockout win in his last 16 fights – a TKO over the hapless Lucas Matthysse in Macau three years ago – with some questioning whether the fighting Senator’s legendary power has left him.
“We’ll see – I’m not predicting the fight, but I will do my best,” Pacquiao said at Wednesday night’s press conference, in typical humble fashion.
His American head trainer Freddie Roach, sat next to him on stage, was less deferential.
“We’ve had a really good training camp,” Roach said. “He’s trained real hard for this fight. He’s punched real good in sparring sessions. It think putting one sparring partner on the canvas was a motivator for all of us, and we wanna continue that type of fight.”
Despite the legendary Roach’s bullish hints at another knockout, Ugas – a late replacement after Pacquiao’s original opponent Errol Spence Jnr suffered a torn retina – was having none of it.
“I’m 100 per cent certain he cannot knock me out,” Ugas said, via translator. “I’ve done all the work and preparation over the past six years. I’ve really been hitting my stride. I don’t think Manny Pacquiao can knock me out.”
It was a view shared by the champ’s trainer, Ismael Salas.
“Yordenis is a very competitive guy,” Salas said. “He’s always eager to fight. To fight with Manny Pacquiao is an honour – to me, he is a legend, to me he is a guy who is an inspiration.
“So much respect. But he talking about KO, he long time not got the KO. He dropping people but never get KO long time.”
Pacquiao did put Keith Thurman down on the canvas in the first round last time out in July 2019, but the American recovered and forced the judges to get involved, with “Pacman” taking a split decision – and becoming the oldest welterweight champion in history at 40.
He’s now looking to better his own mark by two years.
“I feel young. Sorry, I’m 24,” Pacquiao said, smiling. “I’m just happy doing this. Boxing is my passion. I’m enjoying doing training camps and excited to undergo a sacrifice, discipline – to prepare for a fight like this. I’m always happy.”
Win or lose, it could be Pacquiao’s final fight in a career that stacks up against the greatest of all time.
“I have come to prepare for 12 hard rounds,” Ugas said. “If this is the final fight the legend Manny Pacquiao has, then he fought against a guy who brought his best and is a world class fighter.”
