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Home » Yordenis Ugas ‘paid WBA thousands’ – left shocked by mandatory order

Yordenis Ugas ‘paid WBA thousands’ – left shocked by mandatory order

Yordenis Ugas has revealed he held talks with WBA President Gilberto Mendoza to understand his position as welterweight champion.

In August, the Cuban, who defeated Manny Pacquiao to shock the world, had expected to go straight into a three-belt unification with Errol Spence.

Just weeks after the Pacquiao triumph, Ugas faced a WBA order by Mendoza to fight Eimantas Stanionis as part of a WBA semi-final tournament.

This confirmation was a surprise to Ugas, who thought his agreement with Mendoza still stood.

Ugas decided to travel to see Mendoza for showdown talks only to be left frustrated to avoid any mandatory order and face Spence.

“Tomorrow is the decision of the WBA on my case of super champ of the organization,” Ugas stated on Monday evening. “When I spoke on the phone with [the WBA} President Gilberto Mendoza a few weeks ago, he told me that he wanted the best fights for me. He made sure that if I fought Pacquiao or Spence unifying, he would not [order me to] have mandatory fights.

“I came to Colombia to sit face to face, and my message never [got] responded. I just paid tens of thousands of dollars in penalties for my fight that the WBA charges.

“It is amazing that the WBA treats such a champion.

“We will await the decision tomorrow and be ready for the next steps. I was definitely born to fight. Thanks,” he added.

FRUSTRATED YORDENIS UGAS

Before that statement, Ugas had aired his views on the four-strong tournament featuring Jamal James, Radzhab Butaev, and Stanionis.

“It is disrespectful that the WBA [and President Gilberto Mendoza] has a tournament to define its champ when I’m the super champ,” said Ugas.

“I had my first defense with Pacquiao, and I have a victory over the regular champ James. Of the fourteen WBA super champions [currently in circulation], none have a mandatory fight.

“Why me if I want to unify?

“Which super champ has a mandatory fight imposed?

“Even though he is on his way to a unification of three belts. Every fighter’s dream is to be a champion, then to unify. That is my intention that I think I have won [the right to do].

“My team and I will reach the last consequences for our right.

“I am excited to be the first Cuban fighter to fight three championships in one night [against Errol Spence].

“Spence vs. Ugas [is the fight] between two of the world’s best welterweights,” he concluded.

Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News since 2010 with over one billion views. Follow WBN on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.