The boxing world was stunned when Errol Spence Jr. had to pull out of his scheduled IBF/WBC welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao on Aug. 21 because of retinal tear in his left eye. Instead of another megafight getting pushed back or scrapped all together, WBA 147-pound champion Yordenis Ugas will step up from the co-main event to challenge boxing's only eight-division world champion next weekend from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao and Ugas spoke to the media on Wednesday in a virtual press conference to preview their WBA title bout.
The senator from the Phillippines made it clear that despite the change in opponent, he isn't overlooking Ugas whatsoever and is excited at the fact all the hard training he put in won't go wasted.
"I want to tell the fans that I do not take Ugas lightly," Pacquiao said at the presser. "It will be a great fight. It will be aggressive and I know I will make the fans happy."
Ugas was supposed to face Fabian Maidana in the co-feature of Pacquiao-Spence until Maidana suffered an injury during a Monday training session. The Cuban knows he's the underdog, but is going to leave everything he has inside the ring win, lose, or draw.
"I am someone who comes to fight and leave everything," Ugas exclaimed. "It will be the biggest night of my career that I started at six years old. I think that what they are supporting me is not going to disappoint."
Here is what happened at the Manny Pacquiao vs. Yordenis Ugas press conference.