Spence Vs Ugas…you can never tell!
By James Blears
WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Vs WBA (Super) Champion Yordenis “54 Milagros” Ugas, is a fascinating match up of superb styles and high ring IQ mindsets, which will be a classic to remember.
Both have had to overcome wear and tear to reach this superlative point, on Saturday April 16th, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas- the home of the Dallas Cowboys. It‘s almost home turf for Errol, who lives in De Soto. As a Cuban, who now calls Miami home, Yordenis has been a perpetual Road Warrior. After his victory over Manny Pacquiao, Yordenis was presented the Key to the City of Miami by Mayor Francis Suarez.
Errol, has only fought one bout in thirty months. He defeated the talented and hard hitting Danny Garcia by UD. It was a workmanlike, practical but lackluster performance.
Sidelined by the Ferrari 488 Spider crash on October 10th, 2019, days after defeating Shawn Porter on September 28th, Errol`s car flipped multiple times and Errol was thrown clear, walking away with only minor abrasions and some dental damage. It was such a lucky escape and he thanked his lucky stars, that neither he nor anyone else in the vicinity was hurt. So often so calm in the ring, he‘d lost control of the super machine, which was a wrecked total write off. Fortunately, he wasn‘t.
Some of our young superstars adore the seductive high performance sports cars, during their green years, but due to their callow youth, they can‘t handle the ultra- octane acceleration sophistication that wells up within their bonnets. The machine is poetry in motion…but they aren´t.
Cristiano Ronaldo bought a brand new 599 GTB Ferrari in 2009, yet just two days later on the way to work, he totaled it in a tunnel underneath Manchester Airport. The Ballon D‘Or winner fortunately didn‘t suffer a scratch. Years later and now a family man, he understandably drives a more understated, less racy, superbly purring Bentley.
Then, the slings and arrows of yet more misfortune. Following his UD win over Danny Garcia on December 5th 2020, a tear to the retina of Errol´s left eye, detected while training for a bout scheduled with ageing Manny Pacquiao. Errol had to pull out and the injury required corrective surgery. So here and now is his first fight back since. It‘s needed the patience of Job, and the forbearance of Voltaire`s Candide. But, as Eric Idle breezily sang: “Look on the bright side of life?”
No matter how good you are, and tall, elegant southpaw Errol is very good indeed, there‘s inevitably going to be some ring rust to shed. Is it a light coating, which can be shaken off as easily as dandruff lightly flecking the shoulders, or has a deep fissure of salty corrosion set in?
On eleven days of notice, Yordenis took the fight against Manny in blazing August of last year, and dished up a master class, to the sturdy forty two year old maestro, via a performance of controlled, precise boxing which earned him a well- deserved UD, simultaneously convincing Manny that this was one too many, and now past time for him to retire from the ring. Still too young to be an elder statesman in politics, but too long in the tooth to remain within the ranks of the most unforgiving sport of them all.
However, even before that fight, Yordenis had an injured, bumpy out of place left bicep, which required minor surgery post victory, and is now as good as new.
In some attempted psychology and sly, strategic gamesmanship, Yordenis‘s Coach Ismael Salas suggests that following the car crash, Errol isn‘t the same fighter, who defeated Shawn Porter to win the WBC welterweight crown. Unbuckled back then, he`s since started unraveling?
Self –depreciating, laid back and occasionally languid outside ring hours, Errol who´s trained by the astute Derrick James, grins wanly and warily responds, by insisting that even if this were true…and it isn‘t, he still has more than enough in the gas tank to spark out and vaporize the best and then the rest.
The yardstick, against both can be measured against is Shawn “Showtime” Porter. In his career, Shawn always gave one hundred and ten percent, and then some! Never knowingly a dull fight! He narrowly defeated Yordenis by split decision on March 9th 2019 and was then highly competitive in losing a split decision plus his coveted Green and Gold Belt to Errol on September 28th of that same year.
Successfully defending the WBC belt, he started strongly against Yordenis, but the Cuban counter punched back venomously launching his own onslaughts, slamming in left hooks and long rights to the head, reinforced by searing body punches to the ribcage and agonizingly to the liver. Shawn‘s dazzling speed and slightly superior, more insistent egged on work rate, proved decisive, and he just edged it, but this was a razor thin victory.
Shawn came out with fists flying in the first five rounds against Errol in what turned out to be a give and take classic. Errol, who counter punched with clinical precision, was more accurate and landed more often. That margin extended and widened as the fight progressed, but Shawn didn`t flicker or extinguish like a flare up burn down Roman Candle. He exerted intense pressure and exacted painful tolls. A supreme test under withering fire for Errol, who didn‘t flinch, and retaliated with chilling calculation and heavy handed precision.
Nicked to the side of his right brow after a clash of heads in the tenth, it was the first time Errol had ever been cut in his pro career. Then one round later, the frosting on the cake, when Shawn momentarily, yet carelessly lowered his right hand and got clobbered by a tired but ever vigilant Errol, with a pinpoint thudding short left smacker to the chin, which dropped him down on to his haunches. The first tumble of his career.
But such was Shawn`s immense strength, durability, conditioning and true grit, that he refused to sprawl on the canvass. Even so, as he squatted and stood up, Referee Jack Reiss gave him an eight count, before the intense action resumed.
Incredibly, defying shock and pain, Shawn became the aggressor all over again, wondrously channeling his fiery efforts!
It was a thrilling MD win for Errol, who‘d had to pull out all the stops to fulfill and excel. They`d both given their all!!! Kenny Porter who`d trained Errol as an amateur and is forever in his son`s corner, hugged both of them long and hard. A trio in the center of the ring! Boxing at its greatest. Over the stretch, Errol`s grinding, sapping and unremitting body attack proved effective and telling.
Coming into this fight, Errol remains unbeaten, while Yordenis has four defeats on his record. Not necessarily a detracting factor, because he`s never been stopped, he`s learned from them all, and once the sediment settled to the bottom of the decanter, he`s become an ever better vintage.
Errol possesses significantly more power in his fists. He‘s stopped twenty one of his twenty seven opponents, as opposed to Yordenis, who is 27-4, 12 KO‘s. Errol is thirty two, which is three years younger than Yordenis. Errol stands five feet ten inches tall with a seventy two inch reach. While Yordenis is five feet nine and his reach is sixty nine inches. Errol is svelte, while Yordenis is of more robust hue.
On the surface, this appears to be a slam dunk, with Errol as the firm betting favorite. He`s fought and defeated a better level of opposition including Kell Brook, Lamont Peterson and appreciably smaller Mikey Garcia. But, with aptly complimenting styles, current odds are squashed grapes. Both fighters are experienced, exceptional, diverse, selective, seasoned and they`re champions.
Errol is hankering after a mega fight against WBO welterweight champion and also undefeated Terence “Bud” Crawford (38-0, 29KO‘s). Unlike Errol or Yordenis, “Bud” TKO‘d Shawn in the tenth round. At just five feet eight inches short, Bud has an extraordinary elongated reach of seventy four inches, effortlessly outspanning either of them.
At the negotiating table and beyond, Errol, a consummate pro, who takes on one fight at a time, has stayed focused, clear headed and committed. He must defeat Yordenis with ruthless aplomb.
Yordenis who‘s already capitalized upon one golden opportunity presented by Manny, must now try to exploit another against Errol.
Both of these guys are fully- fledged. Neither are spring chickens spreading their wings any longer. This is not a Pulp Fiction or a Teenage Wedding, where the old folks wished them well.
In the melodic lyrics of Chuck Berry, The Father of Rock and Roll:
“C`est la vie. It goes to show you can never tell!”
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Welterweight World Championship
April 16, 2022 / Arlington, Texas / AT&T Stadium
TGB PROMOTIONS PRESENTS:
ERROL “The Truth” SPENCE JR. (USA)
WBC Welterweight World Champion / 2nd Title Defense & IBF Welterweight World Champion
Age: 32 / Date of birth: March 3, 1990
Residence: Dallas, Texas / Birthplace: Brentwood, Long Island, New York
Record: 27-0, 21 KOs / Total rounds: 132 / World championship fights: 6-0, 3 KOs
Height: 5’9″ – 177cm / Reach: 72″ – 183cm / Stance: Left-handed
Manager: Al Haymon / Trainer: Derrick James
YORDENIS “54 Milagros” UGAS (Cuba)
WBA Welterweight Super Champion / 2nd title defense
Age: 35 / Date of birth: July 14, 1986
Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada / Birthplace: Santiago de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Record: 27-4, 12 KOs / Total rounds: 208 / World championship fights: 2-1, 0 KOs
Height: 5’9.5″ – 176cm / Reach: 73.5″ – 186cm / Stance: Right-handed
Managers: Luis DeCubas Jr., Aroldis Chapman / Advisor: Al Haymon / Trainer: Ismael Salas
WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Luis Manuel Rodriguez (Cuba) 1963
2. Emile Griffith (Virg. Island) 1963 – 1966
3. Curtis Cokes (US) 1966 – 1969
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico) 1969 – 1970
5. Billy Backus (US) 1970 – 1971
6. Jose Napoles (Mexico) * 1971 – 1975
7. John Stracey (GB) 1975 – 1976
8. Carlos Palomino (Mexico) 1976 – 1979
9. Wilfredo Benitez (P. Rico) 1979
10. Ray Leonard (US) 1979 – 1980
11. Roberto Duran (Panama) 1980
12. Ray Leonard (US) * 1980 – 1983
13. Milton McCrory (US) 1983 – 1985
14. Donald Curry (US) 1985 – 1986
15. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) 1986 – 1987
16. Jorge Vaca (Mexico) 1987 – 1988
17. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) * 1988 – 1989
18. Marlon Starling (US) 1989 – 1990
19. Maurice Blocker (US) 1990 – 1991
20. Simon Brown (Jamaica) 1991
21. James McGirt (US) 1991 – 1993
22. Pernell Whitaker (US) 1993 – 1997
23. Oscar de la Hoya (US) 1997 – 1999
24. Felix Trinidad (P. Rico) 1999
25. Oscar de la Hoya (US) * 2000
26. Shane Mosley (US) 2000 – 2002
27. Vernon Forrest (US) 2002 – 2003
28. Ricardo Mayorga (Nicaragua) 2003
29. Cory Spinks (US) 2003 – 2005
30. Zab Judah (US) 2005 – 2006
31. Carlos Baldomir (Argentina) 2006
32. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) 2006 – 2007
33. Shane Mosley (US) Interim * 2007
34. Andre Berto (US) 2008 – 2011
35. Victor Ortiz (US) 2011
36. Robert Guerrero (US) Interim 2012 – 2013
37. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) * 2011 – 2015
38. Danny Garcia (US) 2016 – 2017
39. Keith Thurman (US) 2017 – 2018
40. Shawn Porter (US) 2018 – 2019
41. Errol Spence Jr. (US) 2019 –
* Regained
WBC TOP 10 WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Sugar Ray Leonard (US)
2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US)
3. Oscar de la Hoya (Mexico/US)
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico/Cuba)
5. Roberto Duran (Panama)
6. Emile Griffith (Virgin Is.)
7. Pernell Whitaker (US)
8. Shane Mosley (US)
9. Carlos Palomino (Mex)
10. John Stracey (GB)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY
35 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only six have regained the title: Jose Napoles (Cuba-Mex), Ray Leonard (US), Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica-GB), Oscar de la Hoya (US-Mex), Shane Mosley (US), Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US).
123 WBC welterweight world championship bouts have been held in WBC history.
MEMORABLE WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
Dec. 5, 2020 Errol Spence Jr. W12 Danny Garcia – Arlington, Texas
Sep. 28, 2019 Errol Spence Jr. W12 Shawn Porter – Los Angeles, California
Sep. 8, 2018 Shawn Porter W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn, New York
Mar. 4, 2017 Keith Thurman W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn, New York
Jan. 23, 2016 Danny Garcia W12 Robert Guerrero – Los Angeles, California
May 2, 2015 Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Manny Pacquiao – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 3, 2014 Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Marcos Maidana – Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 26, 2002 Vernon Forrest W12 Shane Mosley – New York, New York
June 17, 2000 Shane Mosley W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Los Angeles, California
Feb. 13, 1999 Oscar de la Hoya W12 Ike Quartey – Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct. 1, 1994 Pernell Whitaker W12 James McGirt – Norfolk, Virginia
Sep. 10, 1993 Pernell Whitaker D12 Julio Cesar Chavez – San Antonio, Texas
Sep. 18, 1989 Felix Trinidad W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb. 4, 1989 Marlon Starling TKO9 Lloyd Honeyghan – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 27, 1986 Lloyd Honeyghan TKO6 Donald Curry – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Dec. 6, 1985 Donald Curry KO2 Milton McCrory – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 16, 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard TKO14 Thomas Hearns – Las Vegas, Nevada
June 20, 1980 Roberto Duran W15 Sugar Ray Leonard – Montréal, Quebec
June 22, 1976 Carlos Palomino TKO12 John Stracey – London, England
Dec. 6, 1976 John Stracey TKO6 José Napoles – Mexico City, Distrito Federal
Apr. 18, 1969 José Napoles TKO13 Curtis Cokes – Inglewood, California
Nov. 28, 1966 Curtis Cokes W15 Jean Josselin – Dallas, Texas
Dec. 8, 1962 Emile Griffith TKO9 Jorge José Fernandez – Las Vegas, Nevada
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