If you didn’t know who Yordenis Ugas is…
… now you know.
Do you know?
Sure, Mark Magsayo made waves with his emphatic finish on Julio Ceja.
With that said, you can’t help but wonder about Manny Pacquiao’s future.
I mean in the political area, that is.
Okay, so let’s turn this into a politics-charged blog.
It’s no secret how Pacquiao times his fights. Ever since he dabbled in politics, he likes to milk his boxing goodness to score government seats. He did this as a congressman and then as a senator. There are talks of Pacquiao going for the top spot but like most presidential candidates, early declaration means automatic detractors. Whether it is his boxing background, his numerous endeavors, and even his recent tax problems, Pacman gets away with things if he gets to score a victory.
And this is why I think it’s hard for him to let boxing go. The sport isn’t as lucrative as it once was but it is also the only platform for Pacquiao to state his case.
The entry of Ugas is like his entry to the world of international boxing. Remember when Pacquiao faced off against Lehlo Ledwaba as a last-minute replacement? The former Olympian never had the cult following and was thought of like a tomato can. With that said, Ugas is the total opposite of Errol Spence because he looks for points and not knockdowns (Cuba’s Olympic shtick coming into play) and at 35 years old, this is going to be his desperation move.
Ugas gained a lot of things regardless of the outcome because of this fight. First and foremost, he got the recognition his career rightfully deserves. The thing about American media is that it only recognizes the ones they want to recognize. Now they have to take a look at Ugas. Hopefully, he gets the needed momentum to sustain a more awesome career.
The thing about Pacquiao is that over the years, The Fighting Pride of the Philippines has turned into a stepping stone for the future. Pacquiao has lost a total of eight fights. With the exception of Floyd Mayweather Jr., none of these fighters were able to exploit the victory. Medgoen Singsurat never developed a boxing career outside Southeast Asia. Erik Morales, Timothy Bradley, and Juan Manuel Marquez could capitalize on the Pacquiao “gift”.
Jeff Horn is a bust.
Ugas has to be in the conversation whenever guys like Pacquiao, Spence, Thurman, and the best welterweight boxers in the world are mentioned.
As for Pacquiao, again there are talks of retirement but I don’t see Pacquiao retiring. I for one think that he’s going to fight again before the May presidential elections. Again, this is an easy way to sway votes – especially if he wins.
However, it’s going to be a double-edged sword if and when it happens. A knockout performance could deliver a win or a respectable finish. Basically, Pacquiao is going to wheel his campaign like how Fernando Poe, Jr. did his presidential campaign in 2004. A knockdown would spell the end of his campaign. I mean… a knocked down fighter whose political achievements – while may have been good – are spelled with the cutthroat world of government things?
Hmmm…
And also, Pacquiao has a guaranteed five million fight purse with the possibility of racking 25 million US dollars because of PPV buy rates. Ugas, the "winner", has a guaranteed fight purse of 500,000 dollars plus PPV royalties.
So yeah... unless otherwise, I don't see Pacquiao retiring from boxing soon.