Yordenis Ugas insists he isn’t finished making history

Yordenis Ugas’ mission now is to prove that he’s more than just the guy who retired Manny Pacquiao.

The slick Cuban welterweight made history this past Aug. 21, when he handily outpointed the 42-year-old Filipino icon to win the first major title in his decade-long professional boxing career.

He faces a bigger challenge on April 16, the date of his pay-per-view title-unification showdown with Errol Spence Jr. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, just outside Spence’s hometown of Dallas.

Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) is about a 3½-1 favorite to beat Ugas (27-4-1, 12 KOs).

“Being an underdog means nothing to me,” Ugas said. “I was the underdog against Pacquiao and now again against Spence. I’ve always been the underdog, and it doesn’t faze me.

“It’s an honor to be in the ring with Errol Spence Jr. We’re fighting for three belts, but even more important is fighting for honor and respect.”

Of course, Ugas has had considerable respect for some time.

The 35-year-old cut his boxing teeth in the Cuban amateur system and won a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics, which means he’s well schooled.

He had a disastrous 2014, when he lost back-to-back decisions to then-prospect Emanuel Robles and future titleholder Amir Iman, and then left the sport for more than two years.

However, he bounced back in the summer of 2016 with a more-aggressive style and renewed determination, defeating then-unbeaten Jamal James by a wide decision to establish himself as a legitimate 147-pound contender.

He has won consistently since then, the only exception being a disputed split-decision setback against Shawn Porter in 2019.

Then, when Spence, Pacquiao’s original opponent, had to pull out of the fight because of a detached retina, Ugas happily stepped in and pulled off the upset.

“I was out of the ring for a long time, but when I came back and gave Jamal James the first loss of his career, I knew that I would be coming for big things,” Ugas said. “Everything changed for me that night, and it’s all led up to this.

“The Pacquiao fight was a great night for me. After that fight, my life changed in even more ways. But I’ve always kept myself humble. I showed everyone who the WBA champion was. I have my eye on continuing to make history.”