LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 21: Yordenis Ugas celebrates after finishing 12 rounds against Manny Pacquiao in their WBA welterweight title fight at T-Mobile Arena on August 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ugas retained his title by unanimous decision. Steve Marcus/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Steve Marcus / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Yordenis Ugas made it clear that he’s far from satisfied after a convincing win over one of boxing’s best in Manny Pacquiao.
After solidifying his status as the WBA (Super) welterweight champion, Ugas now wants to become the undisputed king at 147 pounds and his impressive performance against Pacquiao was just the first step in achieving his goal.
“Now the plan is to unify the belts,” said Ugas via a translator during the post-match interview in the ring Sunday (Manila time) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ugas was the “regular” WBA champion September 2020 when he defeated Abel Ramos for the vacant strap and he was elevated to Super status in January 2021 after the sanctioning body relegated Pacquiao as the champion in recess due to inactivity.
Pacquiao became the WBA Super champion in July 2019 when he defeated Keith Thurman—a 25-month gap between his last fight and the bout against Ugas.
With Ugas now holding the WBA’s top prize, the Cuban said that fighting IBF and WBC champion Errol Spence is next on the list.
https://twitter.com/PBConFOX/status/1429312711955943424?s=20
Good shit @YordenisUgas
— Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) August 22, 2021
Ironically, Ugas replaced Spence on the main event with the latter pulling out of the fight following eye surgery and the former initially listed on the undercard to take on Fabian Maidana.
WBO champion Terence Crawford, meanwhile, remains as the top name in the division as he sits No. 3 in Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound list while Spence is at No. 6.
“Now the plan is to unify the belts,” said Ugas. “Errol is the next one in the list but I hope that he recuperates [following surgery].”