The welterweight division in professional boxing is set to get a massive matchup this March or April as world champions Errol Spence Jr and Yordenis Ugas are reportedly in the works for a unification fight, as confirmed by none other than Ugas himself. The fight will see Spencer Jr’s WBC and IBF belts going up against Ugas’ WBA (Super) title, to crown the new three belt unified champion at 147.
Errol Spence Jr vs Yordenis Ugas to crown the new three-belt welterweight champion, winner to reportedly face Terence Crawford in November
Reports of the matchup had originally gained pace back in December by Mike Coppinger of ESPN. Coppinger revealed that Lithuanian boxer Eimantas Stanionis, who was supposed to challenge Ugas for the WBA title, is stepping aside to let Spence come in, while Stanionis will instead square off against WBA’s “Regular” champion Radzhab Butaev. Stanionis’s stepping aside to let Spence vs Ugas happen was made public by WBA President Gilbert Mendoza.
As of now, the Spence vs Ugas winner will have to face the winner between Stanionis and Butaev next. However, there are also reports that the winner of the three-belt unification fight may face WBO champion Terence Crawford for the undisputed championship.
Now, Ugas himself has given confirmation regarding the unification bout, as he revealed to FOX Sports Boxing his plans for this year.
“We’re targeting March or April for the fight. It’s going to be for three titles. That’s a fight that we want,” said the Cuban pugilist, “We’re targeting the springtime for the match against Errol.”
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Spence himself took to Instagram to add fuel to a heated forthcoming rivalry with Ugas, “The fight’s in April. Man down, strap season. He already knows what time it is.”
Yordenis Ugas, the former WBA (Regular) champion was elevated to the ‘Super’ status after former eight division world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao, who was on a two year hiatus away from the squared circle, was made the sanctioning body’s ‘Champion in Recess’.
The fight, which took place on 21st August, which was orginally going to feature Spence against Pacquiao. However, Spence pulled out from the fight due to an eye injury and was replaced by Ugas, defending the WBA (Super) belt against Pacquiao. Nonetheless, the 35-year-old Cuban proved himself once again after defeating the legendary ‘PacMan’ to retain his belt, which also marked Pacquiao’s final career fight.
An IBF welterweight champion since May 2017, Spence Jr clinched his green and gold belt against Shawn Porter on 28th September 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. “The Truth” was last seen in action against Danny García on 5th December last year at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where he defended his WBC and IBF titles.
Highlights:
- Errol Spence Jr and Yordenis Ugas are in the works for a unification fight in March or April next year
- The winner will be crowned as the new three-belt WBC, WBA (Super), and IBF welterweight champion
