Yordenis Ugás beats Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yordenis Ugás bushed Manny Pacquiao by unanimous determination connected Saturday night, putting connected an awesome method show connected 11 days’ announcement and retaining his WBA welterweight title.

Ugás (27-4) seized his accidental arsenic the precocious wounded replacement for Errol Spence Jr., frustrating Pacquiao (67-8-2) passim what mightiness beryllium the last combat of the 42-year-old Filipino senator’s career.

The 35-year-old Ugás threw acold less punches than Pacquiao, but his blows were much precise and much effective. Pacquiao struggled to get wrong connected Ugás’ effectual jab, portion Ugás landed his close manus to expanding effect successful the aboriginal rounds.

Two judges scored it 116-112 for Ugás, and a 3rd had it 115-113. The Associated Press besides scored it 116-112 for Ugás.

After an unimpressive show successful his instrumentality from the longest layoff of his quarter-century successful nonrecreational boxing, Pacquiao said helium hasn’t decided whether helium volition combat again. He besides wouldn’t corroborate whether helium volition participate the Philippines’ statesmanlike race, arsenic is wide expected. He intends to marque an announcement adjacent month.

The triumph was the culmination of a lengthy travel for Ugás, who defected from Cuba 2 years aft winning a bronze medal successful the Beijing Olympics. Ugás discontinue boxing for 2 years midway done the past decade, but recovered his vocation and capitalized connected this unexpected changeable against 1 of the top fighters of this era, earning his 12th triumph successful 13 fights.

“He’s a large competitor, but I came successful present to amusement I americium the champion of the WBA,” Ugás said done a translator. “A batch of respect for him, but I won this fight.”

Ugás got this accidental lone past week erstwhile Spence was forced to driblet retired aft discovering helium had a torn retina during a pre-fight physical. Ugás had been booked connected the undercard, but helium seized the accidental for the spotlight and payday that had been conscionable retired of scope since helium near Cuba connected a tiny vessel bound for Mexico 11 years ago.

T-Mobile Arena appeared to beryllium fundamentally sold retired contempt the precocious hostile change, and the assemblage of 17,438 was vocally down its Filipino hero. Even aft a lengthy layoff successful the past stages of his career, Pacquiao remains a surefire gully and a bankable prima successful a athletics lacking some astatine its highest levels.

Ugás had a wide crippled program contempt the abbreviated notice, moving hard successful the aboriginal rounds with an effectual jab and assemblage shots. Pacquiao was much assertive and occasionally got the assemblage to its feet with combinations, but helium didn’t instantly find a accordant mode to get wrong the jab.

Ugás’ assurance grew successful the mediate rounds, and helium responded to immoderate enactment astatine the seventh-round doorbell with a defiant shimmy-shake of his shoulders successful Pacquiao’s direction. Pacquiao threw astir doubly arsenic galore punches arsenic Ugás for agelong stretches, but they landed astir the aforesaid fig arsenic Ugás showed disconnected his defence and precision against Pacquiao’s activity.

Pacquiao caught Ugás with a operation successful the 10th circular and knocked him backmost arsenic the assemblage roseate successful excitement, but Ugás recovered and rallied with large shots.