WBC World welterweight champion ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter (29-2-1, 17 KO’s) returns to the ring this Saturday in California, as he tackles Cuba’s well-schooled former 2005 World Amateur Champion Yordenis Ugas (23-3, 11 KO’s) in the first defence of his title.
Porter, who was last seen in the ring winning the vacant strap against former two-weight champion Danny Garcia in September, will look to lay down a marker against mandatory challenger Ugas.
However, the Las Vegas-based-Ohioan will have to be wary of overlooking his man, with Ugas undefeated in his previous eight contests, including wins over fringe World level contenders Thomas Dulorme and Ray Robinson – as well as undefeated prospects Jamal James and Bryant Parrella.
Ugas enters his maiden World title shot against Porter cast in the familiar role of underdog; however, having produced some of his most notable performances as the ‘B side’ of the promotion, Ugas will no doubt be confident in his ability to score the upset.
With Porter having collected his second World title against Garcia last time out, attention moved quickly to a potential unification bout with the division’s consensus number one, the IBF champion, Errol Spence Jr.
Typically, the bout was scuppered, and with Spence deep in preparations for his March 16 bout with four-weight World champion Mikey Garcia, Porter will look to send out a warning against a very capable opponent in Ugas.
32-year-old Ugas, who works under renowned Cuban trainer Ismael Salas in their Las Vegas base, possesses fundamentally sound boxing skills, decent power and has shown a tremendous amount of heart throughout his career.
While not the stereotypical ‘Cuban fighter’, Ugas is rugged and game for a fight – a style which, in theory, should blend well with the all-action, marauding Porter on fight night.
After defeat to WBA king Keith Thurman in a 2016 ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate, Porter has responded strongly with victories over former two-time welterweight champion Andre Berto, Chicago brawler Adrian Granados and the aforementioned Garcia to rise once again to the top of the division.
In Ugas, Porter faces a dangerous, potential banana-skin and will have to be at his very best in order to avoid any possible slip-ups with money-spinning unification bouts with Spence and WBO champion Terence Crawford mooted for late 2019.