DALLAS, TX—Errol Spence Jr., the WBC/IBF titlist and Ring’s No. 2-rated welterweight, faces arguably his toughest test in WBA titlist and Ring’s No. 3 welterweight Yordenis Ugas on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Showtime Pay-Per-View (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
This will be the 12th unification fight in welterweight history and sets up a clear path for the winner towards a future undisputed welterweight megafight with Ring’s No. 1 welterweight and WBO titlist Terence Crawford.
Ugas (27-4, 12 knockouts) is looking to build on his star-turning victory over the legendary Manny Pacquiao last August, while this will be first fight for the 32-year-old Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) in 16 months and just his second bout since his near-fatal car crash in October 2019.
Here are the weights from Dallas:
WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Championship Unification – 12 Rounds
Errol Spence, Jr., 146.25, (27-0, 21 KOs) vs Yordenis Ugas, 146.75, (27-4, 12 KOs)
Referee: Laurence Cole; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)
Lightweights – 10 Rounds
Isaac Cruz, 134.8, (22-2-1, 15 KOs) vs Yuriorkis Gamboa, 134.25, (30-4, 18 KOs)
Note: Cruz made weight on second attempt after initially coming in at 136.½ lbs.
WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Title – 10 Rounds
Jose Valenzuela, 134.75, (11-0, 7 KOs) vs Francisco Vargas, 134.5, (27-3-2, 19 KOs)
Referee: Mark Calo-oy; Judges: Josef Mason (Colo.), Chris Migliore (Nev.), Jesse Reyes (Texas)
Welterweights – 10 Rounds
Cody Crowley, 144.5, (20-0, 9 KOs) vs. Josesito Lopez, 146.5, (38-8 (21 KOs)
Referee: Laurence Cole; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® – Saturday, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
WBA World (Regular) Welterweight Championship – 12 Rounds
Radzhab Butaev, 146.5, (14-0, 11 KOs) vs Eimantas Stanionis, 146.5, (13-0, 9 KOs)
Referee: Rafael Ramos; Judges: Javier Alvarez (Texas), Robert Hoyle (Nev.), Jose Roberto Torres (P.R.)
Junior Welterweights – 10 Rounds
Brandun Lee, 142.5, (24-0 (22 KOs) vs Zachary Ochoa, 141.25, (21-2 (7 KOs)
Referee: Mark Calo-oy; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Josef Mason (Colo.), Chris Migliore (Nev.)
Note: Contracted weight is 143 pounds
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on twitter @JSantoliquito.
