Ugas, respetado pa rin si Pacman, kahit inismol siya nito

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | August 30, 2021

Isang mapagkumbabang WBA Super-World welterweight champion na Yordenis “54 Milagros” Ugas ng Cuba ang nagbigay ng kanyang tugon hinggil sa isyung ito ang isa sa pinakamadaling nakalaban ng nag-iisang eight-division World titlist na si Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.

Kahit natamo ni Pacman ang kanyang ika-walong markang pagkatalo kay Ugas noong nakalipas na Agosto 22 sa bisa ng 12-round unanimous decision sa T-Mobile Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada, makokonsidera pa rin nitong isa ang Cuban boxer sa madadali niyang kalaban sa nagdaang 72 fights sa 26 taon sa mundo ng professional boxing.

“In my entire career, Ugas was the easiest opponents,” wika ni Pacquiao sa panayam ng The Athletic. “[Ugas] only had one style, I should’ve been easily move away…you’ve seen how I have moved in my fights before. I couldn’t move in this fight. My legs just…stopped.”

Bilang tugon, simple lang ang naging mensahe ng 35-anyos na dating 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist sa kanyang social media account sa mga namutawi sa bibig ng 42-anyos na Filipino fighting legend at future boxing Hall of Famer.

“Many people write to me, they ask me about Pacquiao’s statements that I have been one of his easiest rivals in his career. The only thing I can say is that he goes to his house in peace, he recovers and that I respect him for being one of the best boxers in history,” pahayag ni Ugas sa kanyang twitter account nitong Biyernes.

Matagal ng pinangarap ng Santiago de Cuba native na makapagtatag ng pangalan sa mabigat at malalim na welterweight division na pinangungunahan rin ng mga undefeated titlist gaya nina unified IBF/WBC champion Errol “Truth” Spence Jr. (27-0, 21KOs), na dapat nakatakdang makakalaban ni Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39KOs), ngunit umatras dulot ng inoperahang kaliwang mata dahil sa retina injury, at WBO kingpin Terrence “Bud” Crawford (37-0, 28KOs).

“I have always wanted to fight and compete hard against the best 147-lb of my generation. I am succeeding. I have fought the number 4 (Shawn “Showtime” Porter) and no. 5 (Pacquiao). And I have the best victories of any welterweight of this generation,” wika ni Ugas sa parehong social media nitong Sabado.