Thumbs down on Ugas rematch

MANILA, Philippines — MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said yesterday he’ll advise Manny Pacquiao against doing a rematch with WBA welterweight super champion Yordenis Ugas despite the senator recently considering a second encounter in January next year. If Pacquiao will fight one last time, Gibbons said he’d prefer a gala type of celebration without going through the rigors of a grueling camp and a bruising battle in the ring. “The senator needs a proper send-off, a tribute to a long, beautiful and illustrious Hall of Fame career against a solid opponent whom he should pound to the ground,” said Gibbons. “It should be like a big gala type, a celebration of the Senator’s career.”

As for Ugas, Gibbons said he wouldn’t be the kind of opponent for a gala. “We never ever need to see Ugas again,” he said. “In his prime, the Senator would’ve spanked Ugas and it would’ve been like Ugas fighting three Manny Pacquiaos at the same time because no way he could’ve kept up with his speed and movement.”

But Pacquiao may think differently.  He said cramps limited his mobility and what was an even fight up to the sixth round turned out to be an upset win by the Cuban. Buboy Fernandez said it wouldn’t be right to close Pacquiao’s career with a loss to Ugas so he’d like a rematch to settle things but next time, there should be no more cramping. “I can come back in January, I will see about it,” said Pacquiao in an interview by The Atlantic. “I know I can rematch him if I want. I’ll just need to tell (Premier Boxing Champions CEO) Al Haymon. That would be no problem. I will think about it because I can’t believe that one of the easiest opponents I ever faced did that.” Ugas’ style isn’t suited for a fighter who’s shorter in height and reach without mobility. If Pacquiao had his legs for their fight, it could’ve been a different outcome.

Ending his career on a losing note wouldn’t diminish Pacquiao’s recognition as a Hall of Fame shoo-in. Filipino Hall of Famer Flash Elorde was 36 when he lost his last fight to Hiroyuki Murakami by a unanimous decision in Tokyo in May 1971. That brough to a close Elorde’s 20-year career during which he reigned as world junior lightweight champion for seven years. Another Filipino Hall of Famer Pancho Villa lost to Jimmy McLarnin on points in his last fight in San Francisco in 1925. He was the reigning world flyweight champion at the time but the crown wasn’t at stake. Villa was only 23 when he died and his boxing career spanned just six years.

Filipino boxing legend Gerry Peñalosa was 38 when he fought his farewell bout against Thailand’s Anan Saeauy in Zamboanga City. Peñalosa stopped Anan in the fourth round. He wanted to end his career in Mindanao as a way to unify Christians and Muslims through sports.