Tag Archives: ugas

Posted on 02/03/2020

By: Rich Lopez

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) was back and hosted a card on Super Bowl Eve. It took place at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and it was televised on FOX Sports. The spotlight was on former welterweight world title challenger Yordenis Ugas of Cuba. Ugas had a decent 2019. He lost a razor thin decision loss to Shawn Porter for a world title but then bounced back with a dominating victory over Omar Figueroa Jr. Ugas started the New Year with an impressive victory.

In the welterweight main event, Yordenis “54 Milagros” Ugas (25-4, 12 KO’s) dominated and stopped Mike “The Silent Assassin” Dallas Jr (23-4-2, 11 KO’s) of California, in the seventh round. In the opening round, Ugas started fast and came out firing punches to the head and body of Dallas. Ugas continued his onslaught in round two, landing hook shots to the body of Dallas. Ugas landed a right hand that hurt Dallas towards the end of the round. Ugas kept up with the body work in round three. Ugas landed an overhand right that hurt Dallas in the round. Dallas did his best to land punches on Ugas, but many shots were being blocked by Ugas. Ugas continued his pressure and stalked Dallas in round four. Ugas still continued his work to the body of Dallas. Round five was more of Ugas applying the pressure and Dallas doing his best to fight back, however Ugas was in command. In round six, Dallas stood his ground and he put a good effort, but the pressure and the work rate of Ugas was too much. In round seven, Ugas stalked Dallas and threw combinations to the head and body. Dallas did land a left jab followed by a right hand but he was outworked once again in the round. Once Dallas returned to the corner, his corner felt he took too much punishment and stopped the fight. The fight was ruled a TKO at 3:00 of the seventh round.

Ugas was impressive as expected and now he looks for another title shot in the near future.

In the lightweight co-feature, Michel “La Zarza” Rivera (18-0, 11 KO’s) of the Dominican Republic, stopped Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr (27-5-1, 20 KO’s) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the tenth round. Maldonado started putting the pressure on Rivera. Rivera did a good job of boxing and moving. He landed a right hand that was the most telling punch of the round. Rivera picked up the pace in rounds two and three. He started to back up Maldonado landing straight punches to the head and body. Maldonado did better in rounds four and five, but Rivera had the better work rate. Rivera applied a lot of pressure on Maldonado in round six, which forced Maldonado to hold. Rivera continued his onslaught in rounds seven and eight. Rivera was firing straight punches that were snapping the head of Maldonado. In round nine, Maldonado tried to mix it up with Rivera, but he kept getting caught with the same straight punches from Rivera. In the final round, Rivera finally got to Maldonado. Rivera landed a few body shots that made Maldonado cover his body. Rivera then landed a right hook that dropped Maldonado. Maldonado got up and Rivera landed a few shots to the head of Maldonado which prompted the ref to stop the fight. The time of stoppage was 1:40 of the tenth round. Rivera performed well against his toughest opponent up to date.

In a six round super welterweight bout, Clay Collard (6-2-3, 2 KO’s) of Las Vegas, Nevada, stopped Raymond “Tito” Guajardo (5-1, 4 KO’s) of San Antonio, Texas, in the second round.

The fight was a slug fest.

In the opening round, Guajardo went for the knockout immediately. He threw nothing but power shots that were landing to the head of Collard. However, Guajardo had his hands down and his head was wide open. Collard dropped Guajardo with a left hook. Guajardo got up and Collard went for the finish. Collard landed a couple straight punches that stunned Guajardo again and Guajardo went down for the second time. As Collard went to finish off Guajardo again, Collard got caught with a right hook that dropped him to the canvas. Collard got up and both fighters traded shots until the end of the round. In round two, Guajardo went to the body of Collard but then Collard returned body punches back. Collard landed a right hook to the midsection that hurt Guajardo. Collard finished off Guajardo with straight punches to the head. The ref saw enough and stopped the fight. The time of the stoppage was 1:42 of the second round.

In the opening bout of the telecast, Omar “El Relampago” Juarez (7-0, 4 KO’s) of Brownsville, Texas scored an eighth round unanimous decision over Angel “El Arcangel” Martinez (19-19-1, 12 KO’s) of Mexico, in the super lightweight division. Juarez moved and boxed well from rounds 1-3. He used his jab effectively and he also mixed punches to the head and body of Martinez. In round four, Martinez opened up more and let his hands go but his shots were being blocked by Juarez. Juarez continued to box well in rounds five and six. Juarez landed a left hook that dropped Martinez in round seven. Martinez got up and both fighters clashed heads which cut Martinez on the left side of his head. Juarez decided to just box and move in the final round. The final scores were 80-71 (twice) and 79-73 all for Juarez.

Posted on 07/20/2019

By: William Holmes

The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada was the host site for tonight’s Pay Per View (PPV) Offering by Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

The attendance in the arena was still sparse as the televised portion of the pay per view started. A portion of the undercard was televised on Fox and featured a stoppage win by Caleb Plant over Irish Mike Lee.

The opening bout of the pay per view was between Juan Carlos Payano (21-2) and Luis Nery (29-0) in the bantamweight division.

Both boxers fought out of a southpaw stance, and Payano was winning the early rounds and nearly doubled the output of Nery. Nery was short with his punches going into the third round, but had a strong fourth round and appeared to be gaining confidence.

Nery continued to stalk Payano in the middle rounds and remained the aggressor. Payano was still landing some good shots, but Nery did not appear to be bothered by the punches of Payano.

Nery turned the punch output in his favor by the seventh round and landed some hard blows on Payano by the ropes. Nery continued to land the harder punches and keep Payano on the defensive in the eighth round.

The end of the fight came in the ninth round when Nery landed a left hook to the body that crumbled Payano. Payano was unable to get up by the count of ten and Nery scored an impressive body shot knockout.

Nery wins by knockout at 1:43 of the ninth round.

The next bout was between Sergey Lipinets (15-1) and last minute replacement Jayar Inson (18-2) in the welterweight division.

Lipinets was preparing to face John Molina Jr., but he pulled out three days ago and Lipinets had to adjust his strategy for a southpaw on short notice.

Inson landed two straight lefts early in the first round, but that may have been the only clean punches he landed in the entire night.

Lipinets applied pressure in the opening round and continued that pressure into the second round. Lipinets landed a beautiful left hook on Inson that sent him falling flat on his face.

Inson got up before the count of ten, but he looked to be in bad shape and the referee waived off the fight.

Lipinets wins by TKO at 0:57 of the second round.

The final fight on the undercard was between Yordenis Ugas (23-4) and Omar Figueroa Jr. (28-0-1) in the welterweight division.

Ugas started off strong and crisp counters on the forward moving Figueroa. Ugas scored a knockdown when a punch from him knocked Figueroa backwards with only the ropes to keep him up, scoring Ugas a knockdown.

Ugas continued to land heavy body shots on Figueroa in the second round, and was able to wither the pressure of Figueroa. Ugas out muscled Figueroa, and by the fourth round had outlanded him 62-42. Figueroa had a cut above his eye checked out by the doctor but was allowed to continue.

Ugas lost a point in the fifth round for holding onto Figueroa, and Figueroa had a better round. But Ugas was able to land some hard straight right hands on Figueroa when his back was against the corner in the sixth and reclaim momentum of the fight.

Ugas had an effective body attack in the seventh and eighth rounds, but was warned for a low blow in the eighth.

Figueroa simply was not able to mount an effective offense in the ninth and tenth rounds, as Ugas had him time countered.

Ugas wins the decision with scores of 119-107 on all three scorecards.

Posted on 07/16/2019

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of July 9th to July 16th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Yordenis Ugas Camp Quotes

Welterweight contender, Yordenis Ugas (23-4, 11 KOs) wrapped up his final day of training camp and talks about his up coming showdown with Omar Figueroa Jr. (28-0-1, 19 KOs), a 12-round bout that will serve as the co-main event to Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao vs. WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman, ahead of their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event this Saturday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

Here is what he said about training camp, facing another undefeated fighter, and more.

On his upcoming fight with Omar Figueroa Jr.:

“This is a big opportunity for me to derail another undefeated fighter. Omar Figueroa Jr. is a young hungry fighter who’s never tasted defeat but that will all change on July 20th. He’s never been in with an experienced fighter like me. I have the style to beat him and I’m going to let my hands fly on fight night!

On fighting in the biggest boxing event of the year:

“I can’t ask for a better situation at this stage of my career. To be fighting on FOX PPV, on the same card as one of the greatest fighters to ever step in the ring in Manny Pacquiao, is a dream come true. I’m truly blessed to be fighting on such a big stage and I’m going to give the fans a night to remember. The fans deserve a war and that’s what I’m going to give them.”

On what a win will do for his career:

“Beating an undefeated fighter like Figueroa will get me right back into a world title fight. These are the type of fights I need to win if I’m going to become a world champion. I’m determined more than ever to prove to the world that I’m one of the best welterweights in the division.”

On his recent training camp:

“Training camp is finally all wrapped up. I did my last day of sparring this past weekend. My trainer Ismael Salas has a masterful game plan in place that we believe will be the perfect blueprint to beat Figueroa. I’m in tremendous shape, ready to let me hands go.”

Devin Haney Back in the Gym Going Hard

Undefeated lightweight contender, Devin “The Dream” Haney (22-0, 14 KOs), has returned to the gym after his sensational knockout over Antonio Moran, a fight that took place at the MGM National Harbor Hotel in Maryland on May 25, 2019.

Haney, no longer a prospect, is now ranked top ten by all four sanctioning bodies in the lightweight division and is currently WBC #2, WBO #,5 WBA #3 and #9 in the IBF. Beyond that, the bible of boxing, Ring Magazine, has Devin Haney #4 on their own list of the best lightweights in the world. This is no small feat for a boxer who is barely 20-years old. Haney is back in the gym as he awaits his next fight date.

“I’m back in the gym getting ready with an unofficial date in September,” stated Haney. “Ironically the WBC ordered a lightweight tournament to decide the mandatory for the winner of Loma vs Campbell. When Teofimo Lopez went the opposite direction, it made me and Zaur Abdulaev the final elimination bout. I’m also ranked #3 WBA and #5 WBO so my opportunity for a World Title is right around the corner. I took a well deserved break that I hadn’t taken since I began the sport. Now I’m recharged and ready to reap havoc on the lightweight division.”

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring,” Haney Continued. “My time is coming and I will be 100% ready to show the everyone that I’m ready for a world title shot.”

Coming this Saturday: Pacquiao vs. Thurman Broadcast Live to US Movie Theaters

Boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Philippine Senator and regular WBA welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao returns to face undefeated Super WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman in a powerhouse 147-pound showdown broadcast live on Saturday, July 20 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. With his speed, power and tremendous boxing skills, Thurman represents the most dangerous challenger that the future Hall of Famer Pacquiao has faced in recent bouts. This high-stakes match will firmly give the winner a claim for the top spot in one of boxing’s deepest and most talented divisions.

Tickets for “Pacquiao vs. Thurman” can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices now.

The live broadcast of “Pacquiao vs. Thurman” presented by Fathom Events, Premier Boxing Champions and FOX Sports is set for Saturday, July 20 beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. AK / 3:00 p.m. HI. Boxing fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 175 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). A complete list of theater locations is available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

In his last match on January 19, Pacquiao put on a vintage performance against four-division champion Adrien Broner, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision in the 70th match of his illustrious career. It was his first time fighting in the U.S. in two years. Before that, he scored an impressive knockout over Lucas Matthysse to win his version of the WBA welterweight championship in Malaysia last July 15.

The 30-year-old Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) is the longest reigning welterweight champion in boxing, having collected his WBA title with a stoppage victory over Diego Chaves in 2013. He has successfully defended that title eight times and became a unified welterweight champion when he defeated Danny Garcia by split decision to win the WBC title. Thurman was out of action for nearly two years due to injuries before getting back into the ring with a hard-fought victory against Josesito Lopez in January. His power punching earned him the nickname “One Time.”

“Fight fans coast-to-coast were thrilled to watch Pacquiao’s victory over Broner live and larger-than-life in their local cinemas in January,” said Ray Nutt, Fathom Events CEO. “We’re pleased to partner again with our friends at FOX Sports and Premier Boxing Champions to bring another of Pac Man’s highly-anticipated bouts to the big screen.”

Freddie Roach: It Will Be One Time vs. All Time

For the third time in 12 months, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and boxer laureate Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) will be battling in a world championship fight. Forget collecting on a pension, amazin’ Manny, 40, the reigning Fighter of the Decade, will be punching more than the clock this Saturday, when he tries to complete his world title hat trick, against undefeated WBA welterweight super champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), from Clearwater, Florida, who is 10 years Manny’s junior. The Pacquiao – Thurman welterweight world title attraction headlines a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

“Keith Thurman has it easy. His only job is to train for this fight. I have three jobs. I am a fighter. I am a public servant. And on Saturday, I am going to be Keith Thurman’s teacher,” said Manny. “I have heard everything he has said about me. I have heard everything he has said he will do to me in the fight. Those things he says about me do not make me angry. They inspire me. This has been the best training camp I have had in years. Keith Thurman thinks he is going to retire me. I am not ready to look back. I am still looking forward. Keith Thurman is going to be very surprised by what he sees from me in the ring. He is going to leave the ring a very disappointed fighter.”

“It will be ‘One Time’ vs. All Time,” said Manny’s Hall of Fame trainer world-famous Freddie Roach. “Thurman may be ten years younger but Manny still has extraordinary talent and an era’s worth of experience against Hall of Fame opposition. The betting action on this fight reflects that. I have done a lot of interviews. All the media seem to be picking Thurman to win. They consider this a battle between Generation X and Generation Geritol. But we’re talking about Manny Pacquiao. He pushed himself to the limit in this training camp. Youth will be served a big slice of humble pie on Saturday night.”

Statement from Salita Promotions Regarding Otto Wallin vs. B.J. Flores Heavyweight Fight

As part of the licensing process in the state of Washington, the doctor appointed by the boxing commission to oversee tonight’s event reviewed medical tests and determined that B.J. Flores would not be medically cleared to compete. Based on that opinion, Washington State Department of Licensing spokesperson Gigi Zenk notified Salita Promotions this afternoon that they would not issue B.J. Flores a license to fight against Otto Wallin tonight. Due to medical privacy requirements we are unable to provide further information at this time.”

STATEMENT FROM WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING SPOKESPERSON GIGI ZENK: “Benjamin Flores was not medically cleared to compete.”

DAZN to Broadcast Whyte-Rivas Around the World

The heavyweight title eliminator between Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas for the number one spot in the WBC will be streamed live in all DAZN markets on Saturday, July 20, from The O2 in London. DAZN is available across four continents with the service available in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “This is a huge night of Heavyweight boxing and I’m excited for DAZN subscribers that they will get to watch it live. Dillian Whyte who has proved himself as one on the best Heavyweights on the planet takes on the relentless unbeaten Oscar Rivas who is coming off a brutal knockout of Bryant Jennings. Brit Derek Chisora faces off against Poland’s Artur Szpilka and crowd favourite Dave Allen tackles David Price in a big domestic shootout. Tune in and don’t miss it!”

Whyte (25-1 18 KOs) holds the number one slot with the WBC and puts that on the line as the hard-hitting ‘Body Snatcher’ continues to blast his path to a World title shot. The Brixton banger put Derek Chisora away in devastating style in his last outing, the pair thrilling the Greenwich crowd in their rematch in December – before icing Del Boy in the 11th round.

The 31-year-old Briton will be gunning for a tenth straight win against Rivas, with wins over Joseph Parker, Robert Helenius and Lucas Browne sandwiched between his two wins over Chisora. Whyte has become a must-watch fighter since rocking old foe Anthony Joshua in their battle at The O2 in December 2012, and yet again takes on a high-risk challenge as he cements his spot as the leading Heavyweight contender in the world.

Rivas (26-0 18 KOs) is yet another dangerous challenger for Whyte to risk his number one rankings with, and the Colombian comes into the bout on the back of his biggest win in the paid ranks. Rivas traveled to Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York in January and KO’d former World title challenger Bryant Jennings in the final round of their clash, underlining his dangerous potential to World titlists and fellow contenders.

In the United States, action will begin on DAZN at 1:00 p.m. ET with the full six-fight Matchroom Boxing undercard from The O2 in London.

Posted on 03/10/2019

By: Hans Themistode

WBC champion Shawn Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) managed to keep his title by the skin teeth by winning a split decision over Yordenis Ugas. Scores for the bout read 117-111 for Ugas while the two remaining judges scored in Porter’s favor, 116-112 and 115-113. The contest took place at the Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson California tonight. Porter was defending his title for the first time since winning a close decision over Danny Garcia last September.

The champion is known for his aggressive come forward style. He usually turns his contest into a sloppy affair. In his matchup against Ugas he came into the match with a completely different game plan. Porter spent the majority of the rounds boxing on his back foot and did not come charging in. Ugas pressed the action and tried to put together combinations that would put the champion in a bad position. Ugas found a ton of success throughout varies portions of the contest. It seemed as though his size was affecting the champion to a certain degree as Porter just couldn’t get his man to take a step back. Although Porter tried to implement a new game plan, he did have moments of reverting back to the old Shawn Porter.

Both men stood in the center of the ring in round four and let their hands go until the end of the bell. Credit should be given to Porter as he continually sticked to his game plan and tried to outbox his bigger opponent. In round 11 that plan paid dividends as Porter caught his man walking in with a left, right combination that had him a bit wobbled. It looked as Ugas was a bit off balance when the shot landed but Porter made his presence known in the round. The final round saw Ugas press forward, seemingly trying to emphatically win the round.

When the final bell rung both men felt that they did enough to win. In the end it was Porter’s boxing ability and timely aggression that allowed him to win a close split decision.

The co main event of the night was a good fight in its own right as Abel Ramos (24-3-2, 18 KOs) defeated Francisco Santana (25-7-1, 12 KOs) by unanimous decision. For Ramos it was his sixth win in a row. He hasn’t tasted defeat since losing a close decision to Jamal James early last year.

Things started off a bit slow as both men were feeling each other out. It was Ramos who was doing really good work and outboxed his opponent for long stretches of the contest. Santana came into the contest off the biggest win of his career when he defeated Felix Diaz. He also had a three inch reach advantage but just couldn’t use it effectively as he was forced to fight off his back foot all night long. For Santana the loss represents his third in his last four. He will now be forced to the back of the line and look to rebuild.

Ramos on the other hand is in great position. With now six straight wins he will undoubtedly get his shot at a title if he continues his hot steak. With Shawn Porter winning a very close decision tonight and looking some what vulnerable, Ramos may have his eyes on his belt.

Posted on 03/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The consensus around boxing circles is that the Welterweight division is among the most talented and deepest in the entire sport. It’s not hard to see why. Not only is that weight class filled with numerous contenders but the current belt holders all have a reasonable claim in thinking they are the very best.

WBO and IBF champions Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr have big matches coming up. Former belt holder Danny Garcia has his own date with Adrian Granados arriving shortly. Keith Thurman and Manny Pacquiao delivered big time in their most recent ring returns as well. When mentioning the very best in the division Porter’s name is seldom brought up. Why is that? He is after all a two time champion. Let’s also not forget that he gave Thurman his toughest challenge to date. He also unseated Garcia in their battle for the vacant WBC crown.

Still even with those accomplishments he does not get as much attention as the previously mentioned fighters. Porter doesn’t have the most aesthetically pleasing style in the ring, often times just charging in and muddying up the fight. It isn’t always fun to watch but it does get the job. Even with a belt wrapped around his waist it feels as though Porter is the forgotten man. He is frequently discussed in such a fashion that would seem as though he and his title are easy pickings. His matchup against Ugas is one that most have tabbed him to win, but their wouldn’t be much shock if Ugas was able to dethrone him now would there be? Sure Ugas is a very skilled and tough fighter but how would his chances be perceived if he fought any of the other champions? Not very high to be frank. So why is he given at least a solid shot against Porter? Maybe it is because Porter is the weak link?

Believe that statement if you want but be prepared to be sadly mistaken. Porter’s game might be a bit unorthodox but it is effective nonetheless. As already mentioned, many of the top Welterweights have already recently fought or will be fighting in close proximity. Before Spence, Crawford and Garcia all get their moments to shine Porter will have the stage to himself. He will be aiming to make an emphatic statement at the expense of Ugas.

Now is his moment to make his claim that he is in fact the best that the division has to offer. On March 9th all eyes will be on Shawn Porter.

Posted on 03/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

It’s been a long road for Yordenis Ugas.

Following a 2014 split decision loss to Emmanuel Robles, Ugas followed that up with another loss. This time at the hands of Amir Imam. It was a one sided beating that plummeted the stock of Ugas. It was at that moment that he decided to take some much needed time off. Two years would go by before he stepped back in to the ring. When he returned, Ugas moved up to the Welterweight division.

Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions Twitter Account

No one thought anything of it. We all have seen the best that Ugas has to offer and it wasn’t very impressive. Feed him to an up and coming title contender and watch him fold yet again. In his first match he took on the undefeated Jamal James. The script seemed simple enough, James would go in there and dominate his man and continue on his way to a title shot. Someone forgot to hand that script over to Ugas. The Cuban born fighter went on tot dominate that fight. He would then go on the most meaningful run of his career as he reeled off eight straight victories. The names he defeated along the way were impressive ones.

Bryant Perrella, Thomas Dulorme and Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo to name a few. Those triumphs have led him to the biggest fight of his career. A showdown with WBC champion Shawn Porter. Ugas has looked impressive during his run at his new weight class but he has never faced anyone in the same stratosphere as the champion.

Many believe that this is a bridge too far for Ugas to cross. Time and time again Ugas has found himself in the underdog position. That won’t change come fight night as oddsmakers have labeled him a 4-1 long shot to pull off the victory. Some might be offended by that notion, but for Ugas it fits him perfectly. The WBC crown is one that Ugas would love to place on his mantle, but this fight has more than just a championship at stake for him.

Ugas isn’t just fighting to make his claim as one of the very best in the division but he is also fighting for his respect. Win or lose he’s earned that much from everyone.

Posted on 03/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

With all of the hype that is surrounding the big showdown between Errol Spence Jr and Mikey Garcia, it is easy to overlook this weekends matchup between current WBC Welterweight champion Shawn Porter (29-2-1, 17 KOs) and Yordenis Ugas (23-3, 11 KOs) but make no mistake about it, this is a must see fight. The contest is scheduled to take place at Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson California.

Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions Twitter Account

With so many great fighters in the Welterweight division, Porter seems to be the forgotten man. On Saturday March 9th he will be looking to remind everyone just exactly who he is. In Porter’s last contest he picked up the biggest win of his career when he out pointed former two division champion Danny Garcia for the vacant WBC crown. In the first defense of that title Porter will undoubtedly have his hands full when he takes on Yordenis Ugas who is riding an eight fight win streak and has gone undefeated ever since making his debut in his new weight class class in 2016.

The fighting style of Porter is well chronicled as he uses his non-stop pressure and volume punching to make it a long night for his opponents. What can be deemed his strength could ultimately lead to his demise against the Cuban born Ugas who uses his slick fighting style to make his foes miss and pay. Don’t mistake Ugas for your typical Cuban fighter who doesn’t engage in all out brawls as he has no problem mixing it up on the inside. To say that this contest is a must win for both men would be an understatement.

Not only is Porter looking to defend his strap for the first time but he is also looking to make a statement. Super fights with Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence Jr and others are within his grasp if he can just get past his tough Cuban foe. For Ugas this is the biggest fight of his career and one that he has worked extremely hard for. He has looked sensational since joining the Welterweight division but can put an exclamation point on his career renaissance with a win over Porter which would lead to his first world title.

The fans will be tuning in to see two of the best Welterweights on earth go toe to toe but will be equally as entertained in the co main event as Francisco Santana (25-6-1, 12) will be looking to put an end to the five fight win streak of the hard hitting Abel Ramos (23-3-2, 18 KOs). Both of these men campaign in the Welterweight division and will be looking to impress as they vie for their own title shot sometime soon.

Since losing a close majority decision to current title contender Jamal James, Ramos has won five straight matches all via stoppage. He has quickly turned himself into a possible future contender with his vaunted power. He will however, need more than that if he hopes to extend his streak. Santana recently found himself in a major rut, losing two fights in a row and three of his past five. That all quickly changed when he defeated the highly regarded Felix Diaz by majority decision in his last contest. That win placed his career back on track. With another impressive performance he can find himself in the championship mix.

Porter vs Ugas is sure to be a non stop action packed fight but don’t be surprised if Santana vs Ramos steals the show.

Posted on 02/18/2018

By: Ken Hissner

Saturday February 17th USA Showtime featured three bouts all worthy of main event status with former champions Garcia and Rios in the main event. The event was held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino Event Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Former 2-Division Champion Philadelphia’s Danny “Swift” Garcia, 34-1 (20), stopped former WBA World Lightweight Champion Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios, 34-4-1 (24), of Oxnard, CA, at 2:25 of the ninth round in an exciting fight from start to finish. Garcia’s stoppage was the highlight of the night of three great fights!

In the first round Garcia had his way for the most part with the quicker punches and foot work with Rios coming forward as always. In the second round it was Rios pressing and landing more than Garcia through the first half of the round. Garcia started using his jab and throwing combinations to offset the fast start by Rios. In the third round Garcia landed a double left hook to the body of Rios. As Rios pushed Garcia to the ropes Garcia landed half a dozen punches. Rios came back driving Garcia to the ropes with Garcia jabbing his way out of trouble. Rios landed a hard right hand to the chin of Garcia. Just under a minute Rios landed a hard overhand right to the side of the head of Garcia. Garcia came back with a hard right to the chin of Rios. The fans really got into the action.

In the fourth round the boxer-puncher Garcia countered well but the aggressive Rios was backing Garcia up. Garcia landed a good right uppercut to the body but Rios came back with a good right to the chin. With last than half a minute left Garcia rocked Rios. In the final 20 seconds Garcia hurt Rios with a right to the chin. The action was fast and furious. In the fifth round Garcia rocked Rios with a right hand only to have Rios come back with a right uppercut to the chin of Garcia. Garcia landed a 3-punch combination to the head of Rios. In the final minute of the round Garcia gave Rios a wicked body beating. Garcia rocked Rios with a left uppercut to the chin at the bell.

In the sixth round Rios landed a solid short right to the chin of Garcia. At the halfway point Rios had Garcia on the defense. Rios countered a Garcia right with a right to the chin of his own. It was a big round for Rios. At the halfway point of the fight it looked even. In the seventh round Rios was driving Garcia around the ring with Garcia doing his best to keep him off with a jab and landed a good right to the chin with a minute left in the round. With half a minute left in the round Garcia was moving well and landing well. Garcia may have stolen the round at the end.

In the eighth round Garcia landed a 3-punch combination. Rios came back with good body work. At the halfway mark Garcia landed quick left hooks to the body of Rios. Rios pinned Garcia to the ropes but was countered well by Garcia. There was action right up to the end of the round. In the ninth round Garcia boxed well and at the halfway point Garcia rocked Rios with right hands. Out of nowhere came a powerful right cross by Garcia dropping Rios hard to the canvas. As Rios beat the count he was asked by referee Kenny Bayless to step forward and it was obvious Rios was finished making Bayless to wisely call a halt.

“I first want to thank God and Al Haymon and my dad when of the best trainers in the world. I want to thank my family. I noticed he was open in the middle of the ring when I landed that punch to drop him. I would like to have a rematch with Keith Thurman but that’s up to him (has a fight in May),” said Garcia. Unfortunately Shawn Porter got into the ring while Garcia was being interviewed by Jim Gray causing a shouting match back and forth. Garcia got the best of that shouting match.

The judges had Garcia in front 78-74 from Dave Moretti and 77-73 by Steve Weisfeld and Glenn Trowbridge. This writer had Garcia in front 77-75 taking the last two rounds big. Garcia’s power proved to be the difference. He and Thurman are on a collision course for a rematch in what is possibly the most talented division in boxing today.

Philadelphia southpaw “The New” Ray Robinson, 24-3 (12), was knocked down twice losing in an upset to Cuban Yordenis Ugas, 21-3 (10), out of Miami, FL, at 1:05 of the seventh round with Ugas becoming No. 2 in the IBF rankings.

In the first round Robinson’s jab keeps Ugas on the defense though coming forward. A right from Ugas to the chin of Robinson drops him. Whether he stepped on Robinson’s foot it wasn’t clear. Both boxers landed solid exchanges bringing the fans cheering. In the second round Ugas kept stalking Robinson landing a lead right to the chin of Robinson. Robinson came back using a good jab keeping Ugas honest. In the third round Robinson missed with a right hook and got countered to the body by Ugas. Ugas landed an overhand right followed by a left jab keeping Robinson from countering.

In the fourth round Ugas lands right leads to the head of Robinson. Ugas landed a combination to the mid-section of Robinson. Ugas landed at the bell with a right while Robinson landed a punch after losing a point after dropping Ugas. In the fifth round Robinson is not doing well with the left hand keeping the jab on the most part to score points. Ugas is landing well with the rights to the head of Robinson.

In the sixth round Robinson started landing the left more but Ugas seemed to get the better with his right hand. Just prior to the bell Ugas landed a hard right to the chin of Robinson causing Robinson to complain to referee Robert Byrd. In the seventh round a powerful wide right hand to the chin dropped Robinson. He got up but on shaky legs. Ugas jumped on him landing a flurry of punches causing referee Byrd to stop the fight with Robinson throwing the last two punches. Robinson complained to the stoppage by Byrd. Ugas was ahead at the end on all the judges scorecards.

In the co-feature WBC World Super Middleweight Champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez, 20-0 (17), of Phoenix, AZ, in a rematch with Romanian Ronald Gavril, 18-3-1 (14), out of Las Vegas, NV, pitched a shut out in what was an exciting brawl over 12 rounds.

In the opening round it only took Benavidez 10 seconds to land a right after a jab to the head of Gavril. This was a rematch from Benavidez winning a split decision over Gavril. Benavidez was landing right hands to the head of Gavril. With a minute left in the round Gavril landed a 3-punch combination to the head of Benavidez. Benavidez using a good jab and a follow-up right had a good round. In the second round Benavidez controlled with his jab. It took Gavril a minute into the round to land a solid right to the head of Benavidez. Gavril was pressing forward but getting countered well by Benavidez. Benavidez is landing a hard right almost at will in the last 20 seconds of the round.

In the third round it took 20 seconds when Benavidez hurt Gavril with a powerful right hand to the chin. Benavidez landed a good left uppercut to the chin of Gavril. Gavril out of frustration pushed Benavidez back without warning from referee Russell Mora. Benavidez landed a 3-punch combination having his way with Gavril. In the fourth round Gavril came out aggressively and got caught with a right hand and left hook that had him almost out on his feet as he was driven into the ropes. Gavril at the halfway point of the round fought back but Benavidez answered with rights to the head. Benavidez landed half a dozen punches without return from Gavril. Benavidez ended the round bouncing right hands off the head of Gavril.

In the fifth round halfway through the first minute of the round Benavidez landed a solid right to the head of Gavril. Not only was Benavidez quicker but punched harder. With 20 seconds left in the round it was Gavril landing a combination with the right to the head of Benavidez rocking him. In the sixth round Benavidez continued to dominate Gavril up to the final minute before Gavril came back on solid punches of his own. Benavidez came back near the end of the round as the fight started to heat up even more.

In the seventh round it turned into a battle with Benavidez still getting the best of it though Gavril got in some right hands to the head. In the eighth round Gavril comes out throwing more punches through the first minute of the round but got caught with several uppercuts from Benavidez. It turned into a war in this round. For the first time in the fight Benavidez backed into the ropes allowing Gavril to throw punches. Benavidez smiled and started punching Gavril backwards with solid combinations highlighted by a left uppercut to the chin. The fans loved the action.

In the ninth round Benavidez came out with triple jabs followed by a right to the head of Gavril. Gavril’s corner is yelling “show us something Ron.” He has been taking a beating in this round from Benavidez. With less than a minute left in the round Gavril tries landing punches but Benavidez answers with more fire power. Gavril’s nose was bleeding at the end of the round. In the tenth round Benavidez was having his way up until the halfway point when a game Gavril flurried until a solid right from Benavidez to the chin stopped Gavril’s offense. It looked like Benavidez was wondering how Gavril is still standing at the end of the round. The ring physician checked Gavril between rounds.

In the eleventh round Gavril continues to come forward looking for that one punch knowing he is way behind on points. Benavidez has kept his hands to his side the entire fight but his quickness of hand he still beats Gavril to the punch. He ends the final 20 seconds painting the face of Gavril with his jab. In the twelfth and final round Benavidez keeps ahead backing up landing his jab. At the halfway point it was Gavril rocking Benavidez with a solid right to the head. Just under a minute left in the fight Gavril backs up Benavidez into the ropes with a flurry of punches. Gavril knows he needs a knockout and he is doing his best to land that punch. The fans loved this one with both fighters giving them their monies worth. Gavril was marked up at the end but what a gallant effort on his part taking twice as many punches than he landed.

Judge Julie Lederman had it 119-109 while Robert Hoyle and Glenn Feldman had it 120-108 as did this writer.

“I kept punching (questioned about hand injuries) for I am a warrior. I want to thank Al Haymon and my team (then went into Spanish thanking the Mexican fans for their support),” said Benavidez.

Posted on 02/15/2018

By: B.A. Cass

On Saturday, February 17, Premier Boxing Champions brings us a tripleheader that includes an IBF eliminator fight and the title shot for WBC Super Middleweight belt. The SHOWTIME coverage is set to begin at 10 PM EST.

The main event will be between the matched Danny Garcia and Brian Rios. The co-main event will the rematch between David Benavidez and Ronald Gavril. And the first televised fight will be between Yordenis Ugas and Ray Robinson.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime

Yordenis Ugas (20-3) vs. Ray Robinson (24-2); Welterweight

After losing to Shawn Porter in 2010, Robinson has stacked up 13 consecutive wins. The talent he has faced has not been exceptional. Nevertheless, he will step into the ring on Saturday night feeling supremely confident. “I’m an old-school fighter,” he said on Wednesday at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. “I love fighting guys that look good on paper and nobody knows who’s going to win and it’s up to his camp and my camp. I haven’t been this excited for a fight in a long time.” Robinson expects Ugas to give him hell, and he expects to give him hell back.

The Cuban-born Ugas, who fights out of Miami, rose to some prominence after winning bronze at the 2008 Olympics. As a professional, he has suffered three losses. “I know what’s at stake,” he said on Wednesday. “It is the biggest fight of my career.”

This is about as even as boxing fights get. Robinson is 32; Ugas is 31. And neither fighter can claim a significant height or reach advantage.

However, the prize for winning is essentially an opportunity to meet defeat: this is an IBF 147-pound eliminator, and the victor will face Errol Spence Jr.

David Benavidez (19-0) vs. Ronald Gavril (18-2); Super Middleweight

When Benavidez defeated Gavril last September by split decision, he won the WBC Super Middleweight title and became the youngest ever world champion in the super middleweight division. “Winning the title changed my confidence but it changed my work too,” he said on Wednesday at the press conference for the fight. “Now I know everybody is gunning for my title and I don’t want to let it go. All the work and sacrifice it took for me to get this – I’m not going to let it go.”

One of only two men who has gone the distance with Benavidez, the older Gavril (he’s got ten years on Benavidez) surprised a lot of fight fans last time around. It was a close fight. Gavril got rocked in the eleventh round but came back the twelfth round with a blow that knocked Benavidez on his ass. As a late replacement, Gavril had only four weeks to prepare for his first fight with Benavidez. He had a full ten-week training camp this time around. If he wins, he’ll be able to bring WBC belt back to his home country of Romania. “I’m not looking for a knockout,” he said on Wednesday. “I’m looking to win every round.”

Benavidez doesn’t intend to give up his championship belt. “I don’t think Gavril can do any better than he did in the last fight. He’s a one trick pony and he doesn’t have many tricks left. He’s getting old.”

The WBC did not mandate this fight, which means Benavidez took it willingly. There can be only one reason for that: he wants to put all doubts about his supremacy to rest. “I’m thinking it will be a knockout around Round 5,” he said. “It’s going to be a combination of the body and chin.”

Danny Garcia (33-1) vs. Brandon Rios (34-3-1); Welterweight

Garcia is still talking about Keith Thurman, who delivered Garcia his only professional loss. “I don’t blame Keith Thurman for not wanting to fight me again,” he said at the press conference Wednesday. “I wouldn’t want to fight me two times in a row.” Garcia hasn’t fought since losing to Garcia, which means when he steps into the ring he’ll be coming off an 11-month hiatus. He has an opportunity to impress, and he doesn’t intend to lose.

After being by dominated by Timothy Bradley Jr. in 2015, Rios retired from the sport. However, he came back 19 months later to defeat Aaron Herrera. Rios took a lot of shots before he finally KO’d Herrera. If he’s smart, Garcia will look to exploit this vulnerability.

Although Garcia is the clear favorite, Rios isn’t coming for just a paycheck. He a pressure fighter and knows how to make necessary adjustments. He’s ready to fight, and he’s excited to face Garcia. “One thing I like is he doesn’t move or run,” Rios said of Garcia. “He likes to bang it out, and that suits my style better. But if he does run, we’ll be ready for that too.”

Follow B.A. Cass on Twitter @WiththePunch

Posted on 04/26/2017

Cuban Ugas stopped Lara at Tunica!
By: Ken Hissner

FS-1 Premier Boxing Champions promoted at the Fitz Casino & Hotel in Tunica, MS, Tuesday night.

In the main event Cuban Yordenis Ugas, 19-3 (9), out of Las Vegas, stopped Nicaraguan Nelson Lara, 17-8 (7), out of Costa Rica at 0:29 of the second round on a bad cut..

In the opening round Ugas was landing right hands to the body of the much shorter Lara. Lara answered with wide punches mostly missing. In the second round Ugas landed a right uppercut opening a bad cut over the left eye of Lara followed by a straight right to the head dropping him. Referee Bill Clancy called in the ring physician but made the final decision himself stopping the fight.

In a co-feature welterweight match Mexican 2012 Olympian Oscar Molina, 13-2-1 (10), out of Norwalk, CA, was soundly beaten by Levan “The Wolf” Ghvamichava, of Poti, GA, over 10 rounds.

In the opening round Molina who was moving down from super welterweight to welterweight used an effective jab while moving to his left having Ghvamichava following him and not cutting off the ring. In round two Ghvamichava who was moving up from super lightweight started showing his power going to the body of Molina while having his hands high giving Molina little offense to get through to his chin. In the third round Molina was using his jab but Ghvamichava is still going to the body very well.

In the fourth round Ghvamichava took control while Molina stayed in the middle of the ring instead of moving and he paid the price. With 10 seconds to go in the round Molina landed his best punch up until then an overhand right to the head of Ghvamichava who countered with his own right to the head. In the fifth round Molina was back to using his jab but Ghvamichava was using double jabs to the body followed by rights to the head of Molina.

In the sixth round Ghvamichava dropped Molina with a short right to the head down to a knee. The referee called it a slip. In the seventh round it seemed like the best round of the fight. Molina was landing good left hooks but one at a time.

In the eighth round Ghvamichava was waking right through Molina’s jab landing with both hands to the body and head of Molina.

In the ninth round Molina continued using the one punch left hook instead of using combinations. He landed a lead right to the head of Ghvamichava getting his attention. In the tenth and final round Molina was desperate knowing he was behind throwing wild punches with most only hitting air. Ghvamichava continued what he was doing since the second round coming forward taking it to Molina with double left hooks to the body and rights to the head.

The judges had it 98-92 twice and 97-93 as did this writer have it 97-93.
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Posted on 09/27/2016

PBC on Fox Sports 1 Results: Ugas Impresses with 4th Round Stoppage of Perrella, Karl and Valenzuela Victorious
By: William Holmes

Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) seems to have slowed down on the number of shows that they put on recently, but they put on a card from the Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

Photo Credit: Jane Phillips/Premier Boxing Champions

The opening bout of the night was between Dennis Galarza (13-1)and Cesar Alan Valenzuela (12-4-1) in the Super Featherweight division. Galarza had the height advantage but Valenzuela had the reach advantage.

Valenzuela had Galarza caught near the corner in the first minute of the opening round and was able to land a good shot to the head and body of Galarza. There was a good exchange in the final seconds of the opening round, but Valenzuela was pressing the action.

Galarza took control of the center of the ring in the second round and used his jab to control the positioning of Valenzuela. There wasn’t a whole lot of action, but Galarza appeared to be the busier fighter.

Valenzuela was more effective in the third and fourth rounds and was able to land the cleaner and harder shots. Galarza was too passive and appeared to be heistant to throw more than one punch at a time.

Valenzuela landed some very good right hands in fourth and fifth rounds and looked like he was taking over the bout. Galarza tried to get in tight and impose his will in the sixth round, but he wasn’t able to get much of an offense going.

Galarza most likely won the seventh round as he had Valenzuela moving backwards most of the time, and both fighters looked exhausted by the final round. The fight was close and many rounds could have been scored either way, but the judges scored it 77-75 Valenzuela, 77-75 Galarza, 77-75 for Valenzuela giving him the split decision victory.

The next bout of the night was in the super lightweight division between Ryan Karl (13-0) and Jose Felix Quezada (11-0).

Ryan Karl has knocked out five straight opponents heading into this match.

Quezada and Karl came out firing in the opening round and Quezada was sharp with his check left hook early on. Karl was throwing more combinations than Quezada, and had him hurt with right uppercut to the chin that wobbled the knees of Quezada. Karl went for that uppercut several more times and was able to score a knockdown after cracking Quezada with a right cross. Quezada was able to get back to his feet as the round came to an end.

Karl landed several hard right crosses in the second round and took the best shots of Quezada well. Quezada had a better thid round and was able to land some check left hooks, but Karl dominated in the fourth round.

Karl landed several hard right crosses in a row near the end of the fourth and had Quezada’s face bleeding badly. Quezada finally went down from one final right cross and was on wobbly legs when he rose to his feet.

Quezada stumbled to his corner and the end of the round and the fight was stopped before he could come back out.

Ryan Karl wins by TKO at the end of the fourth round on the advice of the corner of Quezada.

The main event of the evening was between Bryant Perrella (14-0) and Yordenis Ugas (16-3) in the welterweight division.

Perrella had the height and reach advantage, but Ugas was by far the more experienced amateur.

That experience showed early on, as Ugas landed an early over the top right hand on Perrella that sent him to the canvas. Perrella was able to get back to his feet, but Ugas stalked Perrella the remainder of the round and was looking for that right hand bomb.

Ugas was touching the body with a jab in the second round and was sharp with his right hands to the head. Perrella looked outclassed, and the difference in amateur experience was becoming more apparent.

Perrella started off strong in the third round, but likely lost it when Ugas landed a thudding right hand that had Perrella hurt as the round came to an end.

Perrella scored another knockdown in the fourth round when he landed a perfect right hand that sent Perrella crashing to the mat. Perrella showed incredible heart and got back to his feet, but Ugas jumped on the still hurt Perrella and unleashed combinations on him by the corner and forced the referee to jump in and stop the bout.

Yordenis Ugas wins with an impressive TKO stoppage at 2:20 of the fourth round.

Posted on 08/12/2016

PBC on ESPN Results: Ugas and Flores Win Decision Victories
By: William Holmes

The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona New York was the host site for the night’s PBC on ESPN broadcast. King’s Promotion was the lead promoter for tonight’s card.

The co-main event of the night was between late replacement Jamal James (20-0) and former Cuban amateur standout Yordenis Ugas (15-3) in the welterweight division.

Jamal James took the fight on short notice and replaced undefeated Bryant Perella who had to withdraw due to an injury to his hand.

Ugas, a former Olympic bronze medalist, was surprisingly caught with a lot of jabs and quick combinations to the head in the opening round. However, Ugas stayed consistent with his attacks to the body and looked to work the trunk of his lanky opponent.

By the second round Ugas must have realized that the power of James would not hurt him, as he walked forward more and focused on snapping the energy of James with right hooks to the body. James was matching Ugas punch
for punch in the fourth round, but Ugas’ punches were getting through James guard at a higher clip.

The pace favored Ugas in the middle rounds, and he stayed patient and was crisp with his counter rights and even knocked out the mouthpiece of James in the sixth round. James’ looked like he was tiring in the eighth and ninth rounds and did not have the ability to seriously hurt Ugas, who looked like he was content on winning a decision victory.

Ugas returned from a two year layoff to win the decision victory with scores of 99-91, 98-92, and 96-94.

The main event of the evening was a super featherweight belt between Miguel Flores (20-0) and Ryan Kielczweski (25-1).

Neither boxer was known for their power and both fought out of an orthodox stance.

Kielczweski looked to be bigger and thicker than Flores, but he could not match the speed of Flores. Flores focused his attacks to the body of Kielczweski in the opening two rounds, and besides a right hand from Kielczweski in the opening round on a backward moving Flores, Flores dominated Kielczweski with a high volume of shots to the body.

Kielczweski was able to momentarily trap Flores by the ropes in the opening minute of the third round and land some good shots to the body, but Flores ‘ work rate was just too much for Kielczweski to keep up with.

Flores remained in control in the fourth and fifth rounds and the cumulative effects of his punches were starting to wear down Kielczweski. He remained in the pocket several times and freely threw quick combinations at Kielczweski, but Kielczweski did have his moments in the fifth round.

Kielczweski pressed the pace in the sixth round but Flores was able to deftly stick and move and avoid taking any serious damage. Kielczweski took several more hard combinations in the seventh round but showed he had the chin to take the best shots of Flores.

Kielczweski fought valiantly in the final three rounds, and was able to land some of his power shots, but Flores landed two punches to every one that Kielczweski landed.

Miguel Flores remained undefeated with a decision victory with scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 96-94.