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Unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. suffered an eye injury in training and retired from his August 21 fight with Manny Pacquiao. Yordenis Ugas, who holds the title that was taken from Pacquiao by the WBA, will step in to replace him.
A routine pre-fight eye exam ordered by the Nevada Athletic Commission revealed that Spence had a torn retina in his left eye. He left Las Vegas on Tuesday to return home to Dallas. He will undergo surgery there and should make a full recovery.
“I am very disappointed that I will not be able to fight Manny Pacquiao on August 21,” Spence said in a statement. “I was excited about the fight and the event. Unfortunately, the doctors found a tear in my left eye and said I needed to have the surgery ASAP and there was no way I could fight my eye in this condition. I would like to apologize to everyone. You know I’ll be back soon. We came back from the worst. ”
Sean Gibbons, president of Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, told Yahoo Sports that Pacquiao was open to all options after the Ugas fight.
Gibbons and trainer Freddie Roach both said Pacquiao has been on point and looks as good as he has been in a while.
“The senator is very disappointed with Errol Spence’s injury, but he is happy that he can still compete,” Gibbons said. “He looked extraordinarily sharp in training and would have given a great performance against Spence.
“He will go ahead and fight Ugas because he’s a fighter and that’s what he does. When this is over, he will consider all of his options and that would include Errol.
What can be a problem for Pacquiao to fight Spence later is that Pacquiao is expected to run for President of the Philippines in 2022.
Ugas was set to face Fabian Maidana on the Pacquiao-Spence undercard. He defeated Abel Ramos on September 6, 2020 in Los Angeles to win a vacant WBA welterweight title. On January 29, without any notice to Pacquiao, who had been the WBA Super Champion since defeating Keith Thurman in 2019, the WBA considered Pacquiao their champion on vacation and awarded Ugas the Super Champion title.
“I guess we’ll find out who the real super champion is,” Gibbons said with a laugh.
Ugas is 26-4 with 12 knockouts and has won 11 of his last 12. His only loss was a split decision loss to Shawn Porter on March 9, 2019.
He is looking forward to meeting Pacquiao, he said.
“It is an honor to face the great multi-division world champion Manny Pacquiao because I am more than ready to take on this challenge,” Ugas said in a statement. “I have enormous respect for Pacquiao, but I’m coming to win this fight. I’ve worked hard at camp with my trainer Ismael Salas and I know that together we will come up with a masterful game plan to fight whatever Manny will bring in the ring. I wish Errol Spence Jr. a speedy recovery and I want to assure the fans that I will be at my best for this fight.
“Everyone knows my story of how I came to America to pursue my dreams of becoming world champion, and now it’s time to mark my legacy with a victory, as one of the best Cuban fighters to ever have. never have put on a pair of gloves. I love my country and I want to dedicate this fight to all the men and women who fight for freedom. ”
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