Former welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas is expecting a tough contest in the upcoming crossroads fight with Mario Barrios, which has been finalized for September 30th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Their fight will be featured as part of the Showtime pay-per-view undercard to the super middleweight title clash between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jermell Charlo.
Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs) will return to action for the first time since losing an April 2022 unification bout to Errol Spence Jr. In what became a career-defining opportunity, Ugas outboxed eight division champion Manny Pacquiao for a unanimous decision win in 2021.
The Olympic bronze medalist is currently training in Las Vegas with renowned coach Ismael Salas.
“Both me and Mario Barrios have a lot to gain with a victory on September 30, so I know that this fight is going to be one to remember,” said Ugas. “I have tremendous respect for Barrios. He’s a true warrior who’s been in the ring with the best of them, but I have confidence that I’ll be victorious. I have a lot of fight left in me and my best skills will be on display in this fight. Patria y Vida, I fight for my people.”
The 28-year-old Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) returned to the ring back in February, when he picked up a knockout win over Jovanie Santiago in the eighth round.
The victory helped him bounce back from a tough decision loss at the hands of former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman in February 2022.
“This fight is going to be a war, because we both fight with a lot of heart and neither of us ever backs down,” said Barrios. “I can’t wait to compete in a matchup like this on one of the biggest cards of the year. This is going to be a great night of boxing from start to finish and the Mexican fans can expect to see an explosive performance from ‘El Azteca’!”