An opportunity to face a future Hall of Famer and one of boxing's all-time pound-for-pound best doesn't happen every day, and even less often does such a fight come together 11 days out. But Yordenis Ugas took that opportunity against Manny Pacquiao, and successfully defended his WBA welterweight world title on one of the biggest stages in boxing.
It's the biggest win of Ugas' career, which has come a long way from a two-year hiatus. Naturally, the boxing world and some of its biggest fans were quick to praise Ugas' performance against Pacquiao, and some expressed their pleasant surprise that the judges got the scorecards right in handing Ugas a unanimous decision victory.
That group included the other fighters who currently hold world titles in the division -- Errol Spence Jr., Pacquiao's originally scheduled opponent, and Terence Crawford.
😏
— Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) August 22, 2021
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 congratulations @YordenisUgas
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) August 22, 2021
The judges did the right thing !!! Happy for Ugas. Humble beginnings. Family man. Great fighter ! Now pay that man !!!!
— Andre S.O.G. Ward (@andreward) August 22, 2021
Love both fighters... but Ugas won that fight. Congrats
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) August 22, 2021
Ugas landed the more significant punches ! Unanimous decision 115-113, 116-112 all 3 @YordenisUgas AND STILL!!!!!!!! This is the moment he been waiting for! Congrats!!!!
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) August 22, 2021
Ugas won!! The judges got it right! @ErrolSpenceJr's probably thinking like, Damn! This could've been my victory against a legend tonight! #PacquiaoUgas @PBConFOX @premierboxing
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) August 22, 2021
For those who thought that the Maywearher-Pacquaio fight was boring because Manny had a shoulder jury and couldn't perform...
— Stephen Espinoza (@StephenEspinoza) August 22, 2021
Nah.
Ugas just did almost the same thing: neutralized Pacquaio.
It wasn't a shoulder injury. It was superior boxing. #PacquiaoUgas
Timing can beat speed, and counters can work with aggressive fighters, Ugas was well prepared and executed. #PacquiaoUgas
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) August 22, 2021
Go ahead and hand Ugas that Super title. He fought his ass off.@premierboxing #PacquiaoUgas
— Jamel Herring (@JamelHerring) August 22, 2021
Ugas is the real winner tonight! No matter what.
— Luis Arias (@LuisCubaArias) August 22, 2021
Got Ugas with the win tonight.. #PacquiaoUgas
— Andre Berto (@AndreBerto) August 22, 2021
They will never be ANOTHER Manny Pacquiao
— Rougarou (@RPrograis) August 22, 2021
Ugas fought a great fights. Props to manny for taking on a tough challenge still a legend.
— Danny 'Swift' Garcia (@DannySwift) August 22, 2021
