WBA welterweight champion of the world Yordenis Ugas was one happy man in the aftermath of his victory over Manny Pacquiao. The Cuban got the W via UD after 12 hard fought rounds in which he showed the better things and the beter fighting IQ, which hasn’t happen very often against Pacquiao.
A lot of people criticized Ugas before the fight that he didn’t deserve his WBA “Regular” belt and that that was Manny’s property. But when both fighters stepped inside the ring it was more than obvious that Ugas deserves to be a champion and posses all the abilities you need to make noise in one of the most interesting divisions.
“I’m very excited but, most of all, I want to thank Manny Pacquiao for giving me this moment in the ring today,” Ugas said afterward. “I told you, I am the champion of the WBA and I showed it tonight.”
“I’m very emotional. A lot of people say Cubans can’t win the big fight. So, I’m very proud that I got this win for Cuba and showed what we are all about.”
“My trainer, Ismael Salas, and I had a plan,” said Ugas. “We were going to move him around; we were going to use the jab and keep him off balance. That was the whole game plan.”
“The right hand was a shot I had planned to use on Manny,” said Ugas. “It kept working so I kept using it.”
“He’s a legend, one of the greatest fighters that ever lived,” Ugas said of his opponent. “I’ll always respect him not only as a great fighter but outside the ring. I also admire that he fights for his country, as I do. I want to free Cuba.”
