LAS VEGAS — Yordenis Ugas was a 4-1 underdog, according to Bet MGM, coming into his WBA (super) welterweight title defense against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday. Outside of his family, fight team, and people in his native Cuba, not many gave Ugas a chance to win.
But that is why they get into the ring as Ugas used his power and boxing precision to upset Pacquiao and win by unanimous decision (116-112, 116-112, 115-113) to retain his belt at the T-Mobile Arena. DAZN News scored the fight 115-113 for Ugas.
"I’m very excited, but I want to thank Manny Pacquiao for giving me this moment today," Ugas said in his post-fight interview.
Pacquiao came out on fire with his patent combinations and appeared to have set the tone. Ugas had a different idea in mind. About halfway through the round, Ugas started utilizing the jab to keep Pacquiao at bay and to let the Senator from the Phillippines know that he was here to fight and wasn't going anywhere.
The tide started to shift in the sixth round for Ugas. Along with the jab, he started blasting Pacquiao with overhand rights that boxing's only eight-division world champion had no answer for. Any time Pacquiao would get close, Ugas would either pop a jab or uncork a power combination.
Pacquiao had one last gasp in the tenth when he countered an Ugas right and unleashed a flurry to wobble the champion. Pacquiao went for the finish, but Ugas immediately clinched and curbed the slight bit of momentum.
In the 11th and 12th rounds, Ugas fought the best rounds of his life. He applied constant pressure and rocked Pacquiao on numerous occasions with the overhand right to secure the biggest win of his career.
What's next for Pacquiao?
Talk of retirement was the central theme coming into Saturday night. But, like he has all of fight week, Pacquiao remained non-committal.
"I don’t know," Pacquaio said in his post-fight interview. "I’m going to go rest and relax. I will make that decision later."
Here is what happened at Manny Pacquiao vs. Yordenis Ugas.