Manny Pacquiao, the Philippine boxing legend, was declared “champion at rest” by the World Boxing Association (WBA), where he was the holder of the welterweight belt, which goes to the Cuban Yordenis Ugás.
Pacquiao, 42, has not boxed since winning that WBA welterweight belt from American Keith Thurman in Las Vegas in July 2019.
“Thank you to the WBA for elevating me to the rank of super champion and doing what is best for the sport. Manny Pacquiao is a legend and will always be a champion. His intention was to fight with (Conor) McGregor and now with Ryan (Garcia), but you cannot, behind your history, take over a championship, ”commented the new holder of the WBA welterweight belt, Yordenis Ugás, on Twitter.
Ugás, 34, amateur lightweight world champion in 2005, in Mianyang (China), and bronze in the same category at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Having announced that he wants to fight a match against Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Conor McGregor, Pacquiao appears to be heading towards a match against the rising value of the lightweight category, American Ryan Garcia, 21 wins in as many. bouts, including 18 by KO.
The latter announced this week on social networks an upcoming fight against ‘Pac-Man’, who has a political career in the Philippines, where he is a senator, while continuing to box at the highest level.
“It is an honor to go into the ring with Manny Pacquiao,” Ryan Garcia wrote on Instagram, speaking of a “dream come true” without specifying in which weight category the fight is scheduled. AFP (HN).