It’s a cracking looking card at the AT&T Stadium in Texas this Saturday night, with a welterweight unification at the head of affairs, as WBC and IBF king, Errol Spence Jr faces off against WBA ‘super’ champion, Yordenis Ugas.
Spence Jr vs Ugas will be broadcast on SHOWTIME PPV in the USA and on FITE TV PPV in the UK.
It’s a superb looking match-up, and much may depend on the health of Spence Jr (27-0, 21 KOs), with ‘The Truth’ suffering serious injury in a 2019 car accident, and he has recently recovered from retina surgery, which ruled him out of facing Manny Pacquiao in August.
That said his professional career thus far has been flawless, with his first leap into world title class a superb eleventh round knockout of Kell Brook in Sheffield in 2017 to win the IBF title.
The Desoto, Texas resident defended the belt three times, and then added the WBC crown in September 2019, knocking down Shawn Porter on the way to a split decision win.
The 32-year-old southpaw was last out in December 2020, taking a clear points victory over Danny Garcia.
Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) has been a late bloomer, but the Cuban is seizing his moment, and, after three early career defeats, he didn’t taste defeat until March 2019, where he was edged by the aforementioned Porter in a challenge for the WBC belt.
The 35-year-old rebounded by outscoring the previously unbeaten Omar Figueroa Jr, and two fights later, a split win over Abel Ramos gave him the WBA ‘regular’ strap.
’54 Milagros’ then elevated himself to ‘super’ status with the WBA in his last fight in August last year, as he impressed by taking a points win over the legendary Manny Pacquiao, after stepping in for Spence Jr.
Prediction: If his injuries have fully healed, then Spence Jr should be able to get the job done, and add another belt to his collection. I think he may be tested early by the tricky Ugas, but once he solves the puzzle, he can take a handy points win to further unify and stay on course for a mega clash with WBO titlist, Terence Crawford.
Butaev defends WBA title against Stanionis
The WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title is on the line in the support act, as Radzhab Butaev defends his belt against Lithuania’s Eimantas Stanionis.
Butaev (14-0, 11 KOs) was defeated by Alexander Besputin for the vacant title in Monaco in 2019, but the result was changed to a no contest due to Besputin failing a post-fight drug test.
The Russian eventually won the title in his last fight, with a ninth round stoppage of Jamal James in October last year.
Stanionis (13-0, 9 KOs), who stepped aside from a mandatory fight with Ugas to allow the Cuban to face Spence Jr, was last seen in August with a no decision ruled after four rounds due to a clash of heads against Luis Collazo.
Prediction: Butaev can retain over the distance.
Crowley clashes with Lopez
There are four ten rounders on the bill. Cody Crowley (20-0, 9 KOs) takes a step up in class, and the unbeaten Canadian can take a points win at welterweight against the experienced Josesito Lopez (38-8, 21 KOs).
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Cruz face Gamboa
At lightweight, Isaac Cruz (22-2-1, 15 KOs) gave Gervonta Davis a decent argument last time out, and he can take a win against the fading Cuban, Yuriorkis Gamboa, likely on the cards.
Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs) has been soundly beaten by Davis and Devin Haney in his last two contests.
Remaining Undercard
Also at lightweight, Jose Valenzuela (11-0, 7 KOs) can stay unbeaten, but may need the distance for victory against former WBC super featherweight champion, Francisco Vargas (27-3-2, 19 KOs).
The final ten rounder takes place at super lightweight, where Brandun Lee (24-0, 22 KOs) can take another knockout win in his contest with Zachary Ochoa (21-2, 7 KOs).
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At eight round level, Vito Mielnicki Jr (10-1, 7 KOs) can win early in his super welterweight clash against Dan Karpency (9-4-1, 4 KOs), who retired in his last contest against Xander Zayas, and at cruiserweight, Efetobor Apochi (11-1, 11 KOs) can maintain his 100 percent knockout ratio with an early victory against Adrian Taylor (12-1-1, 5 KOs).
Two six rounders should see wins for Angel Barrientes (8-1, 6 KOs) in his super bantamweight meeting with Fernando Garcia (13-4, 8 KOs), and for Darius Fulghum (1-0, 1 KO) in his light heavyweight assignment against Nosa Divine Nehikhare (5-1).
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The sole four rounder comes at middleweight, and Samuel Arnold (4-0, 2 KOs) can take care of Daryl Jones (4-3-1, 2 KOs) inside schedule.
