A Critical Analysis of Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas Welterweight Showdown

Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

 

World Boxing Association President Gilberto Mendoza has officially approved and sanctioned Yordenis Ugas versus Errol Spence Jr. for early 2022. Ugas, 27-4 with 12 knockouts, Miami Florida by way of Santiago de Cuba, is the World Boxing Association Super World Welterweight champion, while the southpaw champion Spence, 27-0 with 21 knockouts, DeSoto, Texas, inactive since defeating Danny Garcia in December 2020, holds the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation World Welterweight titles.

Ugas was a late substitute for an eye-injured Spence against Manny Pacquiao, and upset Pacquiao to win the WBA title by 12 round decision in August 2021, sending Pacquiao into retirement at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The major question is Spence, inactive over a year, ash to pass all prefight physicals with flying colors. The event would be a Fox Pay-Per-View by Premier Boxing Champions.

The elite match also leaves contenders Jaron “Boots’ Ennis and Cody Crowley as the most likely foes for WBO World Welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford. Eimontas Stanionis, the mandatory WBA challenger, is expected to face Radzhab Butaev in a welterweight eliminator on the same card to determine the next challenger for the Ugas versus Spence winner.

Ugas will be getting a version of Spence lucky to be alive after a one car accident. Emotional and physical scar aside, Spence may have healed, but Ugas has been more active and is definitely highly disciplined. Ugas is certainly a better bet for Spence than Bud Crawford, but who knows. Ugas is in the peak of his career, and such a fight will not be easy for Spence.

Spence has technical skill and superior speed. Ugas will go for broke anyway, as the only way Ugas can win is on the scorecards. Spence will probably win by 12 round unanimous, majority or even split decision, but he will have to do the work for this one, as Ugas is hungry and dangerous and the bout will be close. So far, Spence versus Ugas is the best matchup for 2022 made so far for television, and will play host to an exciting card as well. While it is early to be looking at the matchup, what is definite is the bout is taking place. No excuses. No words of glory. The two fighters will show up and just fight, and may the best man win. We would also like to See Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight unification bout in 2022, and Canelo Alvarez versus Artur Beterbiev at 175. Let’s hope so.




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