Pacquiao: ‘Ugas can be my last fight’

Manny Pacquiao knows he is fighting on extended time. The old clock could stop in a snap.

That’s why Pacquiao is urging boxing fans to watch his title clash with Cuban Yordenis Ugas on Saturday, August 21 (Sunday, August 22, Philippine time) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“It might be my last fight,” said Pacquiao, who wants to reclaim the World Boxing Association super welterweight crown stripped from him and handed over to Ugas.

For the past five years, Pacquiao has been saying he’s is taking it one fight at a time. Meaning he’s going to quit once he feels the skills and the faculties have deserted him.

Thus far, however, Pacquiao at 42 years old, continues to befuddle boxing pundits by challenging the new generation of elite boxers.

In fact, Pacquiao was supposed to battle the best in Errol Spence Jr. until fate intervened.

The unbeaten World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation welterweight champion suffered a retinal tear in the left eye and withdrew from the pay-per-view bout regarded as a probable Fight of the Year.

Ugas was proposed as a replacement and Pacquiao readily agreed although it would entail adjustments as his preparations were geared toward Spence, a fellow lefty.

The same holds true for Ugas as his original opponent in the undercard was Fabian Maidana, who is an orthodox fighter. Like Spence, Maidana had to back out due to injury.

In a frantic move, Ugas hired Maurice Lee, one of Pacquiao’s former spar mates to be one of his partners.

Lee is 5-foot-10, so apart from the four-inch disparity in height, it’s very unlikely he could replicate Pacquiao’s foot and hand speed along with the weird angles.

While Ugas is clearly not at Spence’s level, Pacquiao isn’t lacking in motivation to beat the 35-year-old Cuban, a former world amateur lightweight champion and bronze medalist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Ugas is holding Pacquiao’s crown and the eight-division world champion wants to reclaim it in the ring.

If Pacquiao wins convincingly, it is unlikely he would hang his gloves. But if he struggles in victory, retirement beckons. – Rappler.com