Yordenis Ugas hoped to unify three of the four welterweight belts by fighting Errol Spence in early 2022. But the WBA ruled that Ugas must compete in its four-man tournament before seeking other opponents.
Ugas has voiced frustration with his treatment from both the WBA and the boxing world at large. The Cuban fighter was the organization’s secondary champion before being elevated to the top position. The promotion was due to the inactivity of former champion Manny Pacquiao.
Many fans did not respect Ugas’ position because he did not win the title inside the boxing ring. But when an unexpected set of circumstances made a fight with Pacquiao possible, Ugas impressed the boxing world with a unanimous decision victory. Manny Pacquiao called an end to his legendary boxing career shortly after the boxing match.
The “new” champion agreed to fight terms with Spence. The negotiations set up what would be the biggest fight in the division. But the WBA blocked the fight and informed Ugas he must essentially make two mandatory defenses of the title before another fight could take place.
Yordenis Ugas appealed the organization’s decision, but the WBA stood firm. Ugas will now fight Eimantas Stanionis sometime in the spring.
Yordenis Ugas Next Fight
Yordenis Ugas will enter the fight against Stanionis with a 27-4-1 boxing record. The last time Ugas lost a boxing match was seven years ago. His opponent was two-time former champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter.
Eimantas Stanionis is 13-0 as a professional with nine knockouts to his credit. Stanionis’ last fight in August 2021 ended in a no-contest after veteran Luis Collazo suffered a cut from a clash of heads. The Lithuanian fighter impressed the boxing world four months before the Collazo fight when he scored a unanimous decision victory over Thomas Dulorme.
The winner of the Ugas-Stanionis clash will then face Radzhab Butaev to complete the tournament. Butaev defeated Jamal James to position himself for an opportunity at the title.