Former welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas has not lost the hunger of the early days. The Cuban veteran affirms that the desire to touch the boxing sky remains intact, but that the responsibility to do it again is greater due to the manner in which he is viewed within the Cuban community.
Ugas is determined to live up to that task when he faces Mario “El Azteca'' Barrios for the interim-World Boxing Council welterweight title, on the undercard of Saúl “Canelo'' Álvarez vs. Jermell Charlo on September 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“At this point I have a name in the sport. I am a former world champion with many people who support me. I represent many things, many people and that excites me a lot and makes me very hungry, not for material things. Now the hunger is different," Ugas told George Ebro.
According to the organization's classifications, Ugas (27-5, 12 KO) ranks third in the WBC and Barrios (27-2, 18 KO) is in fifth place.
All roads lead to Terence Crawford, who holds the undisputed crown at the weight.
After his May 2022 TKO loss against Errol Spence, Ugas spent long months of rest and recovery while treating eye injuries that worried him, although he always kept the faith that his career would move ahead.
Barrios was in the ring in February, when he snapped a two-fight losing streak with a stoppage win over Jovanie Santiago.
"On September 30 we have a great, competitive fight, we are training hard for that," Ugas stressed. "We are going to fight hard to give a great victory to my Cuban community, to all the people who follow me, to my family, to my team."