LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao once again stressed that he is driven by the chance to settle his unfinished business with Yordenis Ugas.
That business involves the WBA “super” welterweight championship that Ugas is now wearing around his waist.
Pacquiao on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) said it’s not a good look for Ugas to proudly tote the trinket without defeating the man who originally owned it.
“It's not good for someone to take my belt without fighting me,” the Filipino icon said during the grand arrival ceremony in front of the T-Mobile Arena, which is the venue of his fight with Ugas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
The WBA’s “super” championship in the 147-pound division has been a key storyline in the Pacquiao-Ugas match-up, as it was unceremoniously stripped from the fighting senator, who was inactive for two years.
Pacquiao won the title when he defeated its original holder Keith Thurman in July 2019 also here in Las Vegas.
But the WBA stripped the belt from Pacquiao due to inactivity and instead promoted Ugas, then its “regular” champion, to “super” status.
It was an unjust move from the sanctioning organization, which has now served as key motivation for Pacquiao, who, at 42 years old, now has the odd and unique chance of breaking his own record of becoming the oldest boxing world champion.
“It will be an interesting fight because he took my belt and we will get to settle it in the ring,” he told Filipino mediamen last week in Los Angeles.
Pacquiao will soon find out if Ugas deserves to keep such disputed crown.