A Former WBC welterweight world champion and opponent of Manny Pacquiao is set to make a return to boxing at age 39 with promotion revealed.
The welterweight division’s landscape shifted dramatically when one of its former champions stepped away from the sport.
Now, after more than three years away from the ring, that same fighter is considering a return that could reshape the 147-pound picture.
Whilst the motto of ‘get in, get out, and make as much money as possible’ is used so often in boxing, many fighters miss the buzz of competition once it’s all said and done.
The upcoming mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39KOs) on September 19 serves as a perfect example of this phenomenon.
But it’s the last man to defeat Pacquiao who is now making the most intriguing comeback consideration.
Yordenis Ugas (27-6, 12KOs) told BoxingScene that he is feeling ‘refreshed’ and will be ready to return within the next ‘1-3 months’.
The Cuban had a stellar professional career that came to an end in 2023, but his resume reads like a who’s who of welterweight elite.
A former WBC welterweight champion, Ugas fought some of the sport’s very best, with his record including battles against Errol Spence, Shawn Porter, Mario Barrios, and most notably, Manny Pacquiao.
It was against Pacquiao where Ugas secured his career-defining moment, earning a unanimous decision victory over the widely regarded Hall of Famer in August 2021.
That victory came after Ugas stepped in as a late replacement when Spence suffered an eye injury, turning the bout into a career-changing opportunity for the Cuban.
Ugas had previously lost a WBC welterweight world title bout to Shawn Porter in 2019 via split decision, a controversial result that many felt could have gone either way.
The close nature of that defeat only added to the narrative that Ugas belonged among the division’s elite.
At 39 years old, Ugas would be returning to a welterweight division that has continued to evolve in his absence.
The prospect of rematches with former opponents or fresh challenges against the current crop of contenders makes his potential return all the more compelling.
Ugas revealed to BoxingScene that his return will take place under the stewardship of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), live on Prime Video.
A comeback for the Cuban would immediately inject championship-level experience back into a welterweight division hungry for marquee matchups.
With his proven ability to compete at the highest level and a resume that includes victories over future Hall of Famers, Ugas’s return could provide the spark needed to reignite some of boxing’s most compelling storylines.
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