Errol Spence Jr. was less than two weeks away from a career-defining fight with Manny Pacquiao when he realized something was wrong.
Spence had already returned from a devastating car crash, and while sparring to prepare for the Pacquiao fight, he felt something happened to his eye. Days later, he had surgery to repair a detached retina in his left eye.
Yordenis Ugas replaced Spence on 11 days' notice and scored an upset over Pacquiao in August to retain his WBA welterweight title.
Now, in Spence's first fight since the procedure -- just his second bout since the car accident -- he'll meet Ugas on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (9 p.m. ET, Showtime PPV), where he'll look to add a third 147-pound belt and prove he's still at the top of his game.
"This layoff was easier for me after the injury than the one after the accident because it was a lot less stress on my body," said Spence, who hasn't fought since a December 2020 victory over Danny Garcia. "Mentally I was also prepared for what I was going to go through. I had been back in training before camp started for this fight so I'm ready."
Spence, 32, ESPN's No. 6 pound-for-pound boxer, will headline a pay-per-view event for the fourth consecutive time (three of those bouts at the home of the Dallas Cowboys). There's no doubting Spence's star power, but he'll need to prove he's still on top following a serious injury.
"Even half of me would beat most of these guys at the top level," Spence said. "I feel great now and I'm 100%."
Spence is the welterweight division's biggest attraction, but he's not the only elite boxer competing at 147 pounds. The weight class has long been one of boxing's deepest, and Saturday's title unification will go a long way toward presenting some clarity in the crowded division.
ESPN looks at the welterweight landscape with an eye on the marquee matchups that could lie ahead, the contenders waiting in the wings and the young fighters ready to make their move.
The welterweight title will inch yet another closer to being fully unified on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, when IBF-WBC champion Errol Spence Jr. meets WBA champion Yordenis Ugas.
The winner will hold three of the four major belts and will be positioned to meet WBO champion Terence Crawford for the undisputed title.
Spence, who is 27-0 with 21 KOs, is a whopping -650 favorite at BetMGM. Ugas, who is 27-4 with 12 KOs, is +450 underdog. Ugas is coming off a victory over the legendary Manny Pacquiao in Pacquiao’s final fight.
Yahoo Sports will have full coverage of the Showtime Sports Pay-Per-View. Join us and share your opinion during the fight. - Kevin Iole
Tonight (Apr. 16) on Showtime PPV at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas is a welterweight unification matchup between WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr (27-0, 21 KOs) and WBA champion Yordenis Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs).
This is Spence’s first fight since December 2020, when he defeated Danny Garcia in this same stadium to remain a unified champ. He was supposed to fight Manny Pacquiao in August 2021, but a retinal tear forced him out of the bout and that sprung Yordenis Ugas into a short notice main event spot. The Cuban defeated Pacquiao and sent him into retirement, taking his WBA belt in the process and setting himself up for a three-belt unification against ‘The Truth.’
This post will cover the main card, with full play-by-play for the headliner.
Televised undercard action starts at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on Showtime and streaming free on YouTube, which you can watch at the top of the page. The four-fight main card will air on Showtime PPV at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT at a cost of $74.95. Ring walks for Spence and Ugas will take place approximately 11:30 PM ET/8:30 PM PT but that depends on the undercard length.
Join as at Bloody Elbow for live results and play-by-play of the fight. Offer your opinion in the comment section!
0 Comments