Welterweight

Yordenis Ugas stunned the boxing world with his win over the iconic Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao was originally supposed to fight Errol Spence Jr. for the IBF and WBC world welterweight titles, but Spence had to pull out because of an eye injury. Ugas stepped in on short notice and used a stiff jab, great counterpunching and sharp defense to earn a unanimous-decision victory over Pacquiao to retain his WBA welterweight title.

Yordenis Ugás defeats Manny Pacquiao via unanimous decision 🔥#PacquiaoUgas pic.twitter.com/GCpSmn5YXU

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 22, 2021

The judges scored the bout 115-113, 116-112, 116-112 in favor of Ugas. NBA superstar Damian Lillard felt they made the right call:

Love both fighters… but Ugas won that fight. Congrats

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) August 22, 2021

The Philippine Star tweeted a note of support for Pacquiao:

YOU ARE STILL OUR CHAMP! 

“The Olympian” overpowered “The Legend.” 

Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugas defended his WBA super welterweight title against Manny Pacquiao at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday. #PacquiaoUgas pic.twitter.com/ernmQvrDUy

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) August 22, 2021

Fox Sports' commentator Skip Bayless thought Pac-Man might have a chance on the cards because he was the more active fighter:

Ugas wins narrowly. I thought Manny would win in the judges eyes because he THREW SO MANY MORE PUNCHES, 800-400.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 22, 2021

Pacquiao's work rate was impressive considering he's 42 and was more than two years removed from his most recent fight, a split-decision win over Keith Thurman. He tried to throw punches in bunches and work his way inside on Ugas, but the latter held his ground, commanding the center of the ring with his jab and an increasingly potent right hand.

American boxer Regis Prograis noted that Pacquiao was taking some hard shots during the fight:

Pacquiao is getting hit with some hard clean shots. Win or lose this should probably be his last fight. #PacquiaoUgas

— Rougarou (@RPrograis) August 22, 2021

ESPN Philippines' Carlo Pamintuan loved what he was seeing from Ugas:

All Ugas did was textbook orthodox vs southpaw strategy. Double jab, right straight. He threw in uppercuts here and there but he was disciplined enough to stick to the game plan.

— Carlo Pamintuan (@carlo_pamintuan) August 22, 2021

Based on this tweet, it seems like Spence was wishing he could have been in the ring Saturday night:

Man 🥺

— Errol Spence (@ErrolSpenceJr) August 22, 2021

Ugas was an underdog coming into the bout, but you couldn't tell that from the way he fought. He looked calm and confident in his game plan despite only having a couple of weeks to prepare for Pacquiao. After securing the win, former boxer and current analyst Andre Ward suggested the Cuban could have a big payday ahead of him:

The judges did the right thing !!! Happy for Ugas. Humble beginnings. Family man. Great fighter ! Now pay that man !!!!

— Andre S.O.G. Ward (@andreward) August 22, 2021

The big question for Pacquiao was whether he would retire after the loss. His legs and footwork weren't up to his usual standard against Ugas, and he's also reportedly considering a run for president in the Philippines.

"I don't know. Let me relax and make a decision," he said when asked about retiring after the bout, per TalkSport's Michael Benson.

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports and Bayless reacted to the possibility of Pacquiao calling it quits after 26 years in professional boxing:

If that was Manny Pacquiao's last fight, I want to thank him for never ducking dangerous opponents and ALWAYS COMPETING WITH ALL HIS HEART AND SOUL.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 22, 2021

Hard to imagine Pac fighting again. It would not have been pretty had that been Spence in front of him. He's had a great great career. This should be it, I'd say. H'es walking to dressing room now as crowd roars.

— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) August 22, 2021

If this is it for Pacquiao, he can walk away with pride. He's the only eight-division champion in boxing history and once held world titles across four weight classes at one time. He's a surefire Hall of Famer, one of the best to ever do it. This loss doesn't change any of that.

For Ugas, he should be angling for a unification fight with either Spence or Terence "Bud" Crawford, the WBO welterweight champion. Spence might have a long recovery from his eye injury, but Crawford would be a compelling option. If those fights can't be made, Ugas can rest assured there will be a solid challenger awaiting in the 147-pound division.

Two-division world champion Robert Guerrero (37-6-1, 20 KOs) still has something left in the tank. The 38-year-old out of Gilroy, California, kept his late-career comeback alive with a unanimous-decision win over Victor Ortiz (32-7-3, 25 KOs) on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout was the co-feature of the pay-per-view card headlined by Manny Pacquiao and Yordenis Ugas.

The judges scored the bout 96-94, 96-94, 96-94 in favor of Guerrero, per the pay-per-view broadcast.

RETURN SUCCESSFUL! Robert Guerrero returns after nearly 2 years defeats Victor Ortiz by UD 🙌

Buy #PacquiaoUgas PPV: https://t.co/fEC2fmzQbV pic.twitter.com/DLvShI21w9

— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) August 22, 2021

This makes it four wins in a row for Guerrero, who briefly retired in 2017 after a difficult losing streak where he said he "spiraled out of control," per RingTV.com's Dan Rafael. He's looking to turn himself into a contender again at welterweight, years after his best run in the division saw him win the WBA interim world title in 2012.

Ortiz, 34, had been inactive for more than three years after turning himself in to authorities on multiple sexual assault charges in late 2018. Prosecutors dropped the charges against him last year. He's still looking for his first win since knocking out Saul Corral in July 2017.

After an even first round, Guerrero scored the first big punch of the fight with a left uppercut late in the second. Ortiz held his position fighting on the inside and returned the favor with a right hook just before the bell sounded. 

Here's a look at the exchange via Premier Boxing Champions:

.@ghostboxing showing he still has some gas in thank, going toe-to-toe with @VICIOUSortiz. #GueurreroOrtiz

💥 Order #PacquiaoUgas on Pay-Per-View NOW: https://t.co/WFLKMpSMCe pic.twitter.com/pf9uVKKFUE

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) August 22, 2021

Even though both fighters' glory days are far behind them, BoxingScene.com's Cliff Rold was pleased with the action:

https://twitter.com/RoldBoxing/status/1429280913846898696

The two southpaws spent the fight going toe-to-toe, digging at each other with power shots, hardly an inch of space separating them. Guerrero used the jab a bit more often, trying to create gaps to throw uppercuts. Ortiz would move in close to try and smother the shots, getting his forehead on Guerrero's and ripping away at the body. By the middle rounds, Guerrero's left eye was nearly swollen shut, while Ortiz had a small cut under his right eye.

NYFights.com's Michael Woods enjoyed the close-range action:

Props to @TGBpromotions and the PBC crew--this fight is two proud vets, they are rumbling, they both want it, fight got mocked and it's a solid battle. https://t.co/jW5U1rVX5j

— Michael Woods (@Woodsy1069) August 22, 2021

The fight slowed down considerably after the sixth round. Ortiz, the more accurate of the two boxers, began clinching more than he had in the earlier rounds. Guerrero did well to keep his work rate up, but the punches were less accurate and crisp, allowing Ortiz to block and counter them.

In the end, Guerrero didn't make any glaring mistakes, while Ortiz couldn't come up with a fight-altering punch, and the judges felt Guerrero had put in the better shift in a back-and-forth match.

While Guerrero has worked hard to keep himself in contention at welterweight, he might find it difficult to line up a title fight. The 147-pound division is one of the deepest in boxing, and there are plenty of fighters worthy of getting a shot at a world title. That said, "Ghost" does have good name recognition and his fights tend to have a lot of action, so he may yet end up on a couple more high-profile cards if he decides to stay on the comeback trail.

Twenty years ago, Manny Pacquiao got a big break in Las Vegas. He was chosen as a late replacement for a fight against then-IBF super bantamweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba and ended up winning by TKO. It was his first fight in Sin City and helped springboard his legendary career.

On Saturday, Pacquiao will be on the other side of the equation in Las Vegas, as Yordenis Ugas steps in to replace an injured Errol Spence Jr., offering him a chance to get a signature win against the Filipino superstar in a pay-per-view showdown.

It's not a complete role reversal because Ugas is the one with some hardware in this fight, having been awarded the WBA welterweight title earlier this year. Of course, Pacquiao believes the WBA title should still belong to him, as he won it off Keith Thurman in 2019 but had it stripped from him because of inactivity.

So Pacquiao is looking to right a perceived wrong and add yet another title to his impressive ledger. Ugas has the opportunity to score a massive upset in his highest-profile bout to date. It's not quite as compelling as Pacquiao taking on the undefeated Spence—who holds the IBF and WBC titles and is in the prime of his career—but it could still be an entertaining contest.

Here's a look at how the two fighters stack up.

                      

Tale of the Tape and Fight Stats

Manny Pacquiao

Age: 42 

Height: 5'5 ½"

Weight: 146 pounds (weigh-in results via Bad Left Hook)

Reach: 67"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 62-7-3 (39 KOs)

Pacquiao's record speaks for itself. He's been fighting professionally since 1995, with only a handful of losses scattered across a Hall-of-Fame worthy career. He's the only boxer to win world titles in eight divisions, defeating the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales and more along the way.

Pacquiao is 5-1 since losing a superfight to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015, which came when both were already past their in-ring primes. He's done well for himself during the final run of his career. Even the lone loss, against Jeff Horn in 2017, is deceptive because many felt Pacquiao deserved to win the fight.

A whirlwind of fists at the height of his career, Pacquiao has slowed down with age, but not by much. The southpaw still does a great job of throwing difficult combinations and keeping his opponents off balance. He also still flashes some power, having scored a TKO win over a worn-out Lucas Matthysse in 2018 and knocking down Thurman in the first round en route to a split-decision victory that was more comfortable than the scorecards indicate.

Perhaps the most important number to take away from Pacquiao's tale of the tape is the first one listed: 42. Boxing is a brutal sport, and few prizefighters have found success against quality opponents at Pacquiao's age. The fact that he hasn't retired is something of a miracle. Pacquiao looked good against Thurman two years ago, but we won't know how much of that version of him is intact until he steps in the ring.

                    

Yordenis Ugas

Age: 35

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 147 pounds (via Bad Left Hook)

Reach: 69"

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 26-4 (12 KOs)

Ugas' list of career highlights isn't nearly as long as Pacquiao's, but to be fair, he was just eight when Pacquiao turned pro.

His biggest fight to date was against Shawn Porter in 2019, and the WBC welterweight title was on the line. Ugas pushed an excellent Porter to his limit in that bout but lost via split decision. Since then, he's gotten back on track with wins against Omar Figueroa Jr., Mike Dallas Jr. and, most recently, Abel Ramos.

Ugas has the advantage of youth—relative to Pacquiao, at least, since he's very much a veteran at 35—and he has a longer reach, which could help him establish the jab and try to keep Pacquiao at bay while he gets his timing down.

Even though he's taking on Pacquiao with just a couple weeks' notice, he should be in prime fighting shape considering he was originally set to fight on the undercard. He's promising to make things difficult for the legend standing across from him in the ring.

"I have prepared for 12 hard rounds," Ugas said, per Greg Beacham of the Associated Press (h/t Yahoo Sports). "If this is Pacquiao's final fight, then he's going to be up against a guy who brought his best and who is a world-class fighter."

               

Prediction

Ugas suggested this might be Pacquiao's final fight, and the superstar himself has also indicated that he could call it quits after Saturday night's title bout. Then again, Pacquiao suggested he can still see himself taking on the top names in the 147-pound division before hanging up his gloves.

"I don't know if this is going to be my last [time in the ring]. We are going to see fight by fight," Pacquiao said, per ESPN's Salvador Rodriguez. "But if I have the possibility of making one more fight, then I would like to face the best—either Terence Crawford or Errol Spence."

To get to Spence or Crawford, Pacquiao will have to take care of business against Ugas. Expect this fight to be more difficult for Pacquiao than the one against Thurman simply because of the age factor and the long gap between fights.

Ugas might have some success with his jab in the early rounds but won't have the power to control the entire fight. Pacquiao will figure him out, get in shots to the body and put together some combinations that sway the judges and help him win a couple of swing rounds.

Prediction: Pacquiao wins via split decision.

                        

All stats courtesy of BoxRec.com unless otherwise noted.

After two years off from fighting, Manny Pacquiao is back.

The Filipino superstar is in Las Vegas in search of another world title, although the one he'll be fighting for this weekend isn't the one that originally brought him out to the desert.

Pacquiao, 42, is set to challenge Yordenis Ugas (26-4, 12 KOs) for the WBA world welterweight title Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena. He was supposed to be fighting Errol Spence Jr., but the IBF and WBC champion had to pull out earlier this month due to an eye injury.

So instead of two titles, Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) is fighting for just one, and it just so happens to be the belt he had up until a few months ago.

Pac Man won the WBA welterweight title in his last bout, a decision win over Keith Thurman in 2019, but was eventually stripped of it earlier this year due to inactivity. The WBA then awarded the belt to Ugas, whose reign may be short-lived if he's not careful against the future Hall of Famer.

"My title was given to Ugas," Pacquiao said, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole. "That is not how you become a champion. You earn it by winning it inside the ring. We will fight for the title. That is the proper way a champion is crowned."

             

Pacquiao vs. Ugas Fight Info

When: Saturday, Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

TV: Fox PPV ($74.99)

Live stream: Fox Sports PPV, FITE.TV PPV

Moneyline Odds (via FanDuel): Pacquiao -430, Ugas +300

             

While many boxing fans will be disappointed that Pacquiao isn't facing Spence, who is undefeated and widely considered one of the sport's best pound-for-pound fighters, the matchup against Ugas could prove to be an entertaining one. 

The Cuban, 35, isn't afraid to go after his opponents and has both height (5'9" to 5'5½") and reach (69" to 67") advantages over Pacquiao, per BoxRec.com. He has also been more active than his opponent and is in solid form, having won his last three fights (two by stoppage) following a tough split-decision loss to Shawn Porter in early 2019.

Porter believes Pacquaio will win the fight but says Ugas has a chance if he picks the right strategy, per BoxingNews24.com's Allan Fox.

"I do think this can be a more exciting fight than a lot of people expect if Yordenis Ugas can force Manny Pacquiao to go toe-to-toe with him," he said. "If we can get a toe-to-toe battle, it could go either way. I'm not going to sell y'all on that."

The big unknown for Pacquiao is how much he has left in the tank. He's more than a quarter century into his professional career, and few boxers have found success in their early 40s. At some point, the speed and stamina will give out. 

However, if the same Pacquiao that has beaten Thurman, Adrien Broner, Lucas Matthysse and Jessie Vargas in recent years shows up Saturday night, Ugas will have his hands full.

On his best day, Pacquiao is a tricky, relentless southpaw who throws quick combinations and can call upon devastating power shots seemingly at will. If the training clips circulating on social media are any indication, he's still in great shape and deeply committed to the sport that has brought him so much fame and fortune.

No pain, no gain!

Think you could handle @MannyPacquiao's pain tolerance training?

Order #PacquiaoUgas on PPV: https://t.co/BkiNBXwNVY pic.twitter.com/aSzVnR5RDv

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) August 13, 2021

https://twitter.com/MannyPacquiao/status/1427863746374864904

While Pacquiao seems hell bent on proving he can beat the best well past the prime of his career, his legacy is already secured. There is much more riding on this fight for Ugas, who has mostly fought under the radar but could turn an upset win into prime matchups with the likes of Spence or perhaps even Terence Crawford, the WBO welterweight champion. 

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado, or Tennessee. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.

Oscar De La Hoya is thinking big as he embarks on an exhibition comeback experiment. 

The 48-year-old Californian is already slated to face Vitor Belfort on September 11, 2021. After that, however, he wants one more exhibition followed by a shot at either Canelo Alvarez or Floyd Mayweather. 

“𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 @Canelo.”@MikeTyson @OscarDeLaHoya @HenryCejudo #Hotboxin pic.twitter.com/JA972BWxM5

— Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson (@hotboxinpodcast) July 7, 2021

"This might be my fighter juices flowing again," De La Hoya told Mike Tyson on his Hotboxin' podcast. The former middleweight star added that when he gets back in the ring for real he's looking for a 12-round bout. 

De La Hoya and Mayweather already met once in 2007 for the WBC light middleweight belt. The result was the most lucrative boxing match ever at the time, generating more than $130 million as Mayweather took a split decision victory (113-115, 116-112, 115-113) to keep his undefeated record intact. 

A rematch was widely discussed to take place in 2008, but Mayweather's retirement ended those hopes. De La Hoya would go onto defeat Steve Forbes via unanimous decision before losing to Manny Pacquio in 2008. De La Hoya retired a year later with a record of 39-6 (30 KOs). 

The Golden Boy has never faced Canelo, but has a direct line to him if De La Hoya wants to schedule a fight. De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions rostered Alvarez until November 2020 when he was released following a breach of contract settlement.

If De La Hoya's matchup against Belfort goes well—and if a second exhibition takes place—look for De La Hoya to start seeking out a return to pro boxing in a major way. Whether or not Mayweather or Alvarez would accept the challenge remains to be seen. 

Triller Fight Club has pledged $1 million to charity if UFC President Dana White gives the green light for ex-UFC champion Georges St-Pierre to fight ex-boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya in the boxing ring.

Ryan Kavanaugh, who is the CEO of Triller's parent company Proxima Media, spoke with ESPN's Marc Raimondi about the offer, which is contingent on the fight occurring through Triller's promotion:

"We're trying to hope we can appeal to Dana's charitable side. I've offered $250,000 and I've asked others to join in. So, it's now up to a million dollars to a charity of Dana's choice—to allow GSP to go fight for money in boxing, not UFC. When [White] knows [St-Pierre] will never fight again for the UFC."

The retired St-Pierre has not fought in four years but remains under contract with UFC.

De La Hoya is looking for a comeback in the ring, making an announcement in March:

What are your thoughts on the pro #boxing comeback of @OscarDeLaHoya on July 3?

Who would you like to see Oscar face in his comeback fight?#TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/TyBY9CBBS7

— TrillerTV (@Triller_TV) March 27, 2021

St-Pierre appears up for a fight, too, telling Mick Joest of Cinema Blend as much. However, it appears White is not on board.

"I understand that Dana didn't want me to fight," St-Pierre told Joest.

"However, it would have been fun. Because my career as a professional fighter, to become the best in the world in mixed martial arts, is done. I’m turning 40 years old tomorrow; I’m going to be 40 years old. It’s a young man's game. However, to rather fight a boxing match under the rules that Triller put on against the legendary Oscar De La Hoya?

"For me, it would have been a dream come true, because he is my second favorite boxer of all time, behind Sugar Ray Leonard. Plus, a lot of the money made would have been given to charity. So it would have been for a good cause, just to show that we don't take ourselves too seriously. And it would have been serious competition because you say, I play basketball, I play hockey, but you don’t 'play' fighting. It would have been fun."

Raimondi gave an update from White's perspective.

"The UFC did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. But White did address the situation last Saturday night at the UFC 262 postfight news conference in Houston. White said Kavanaugh has repeatedly tried to get in touch with him, but that he is ignoring his calls and texts because 'they're all full of s--t.' White has also publicly feuded with De La Hoya, a former friend of his."

St-Pierre, who turned 40 years old Wednesday, was a two-division UFC champion who went 26-2 as a professional. He ended his career with 13 straight victories.

De La Hoya won his first 31 professional boxing matches before finishing 39-6 lifetime, winning 11 world titles in six weight classes. He hasn't fought since 2008.

After surviving a horrific car crash last October, undefeated welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. is ready to climb between the ropes again. 

Spence (26-0, 21 KOs) will put his WBC and IBF world titles on the line Saturday night when he takes on Danny Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He's hoping 14 months of ring rust doesn't get in the way of him furthering what has already been an excellent career.

One could have forgiven the 30-year-old if he opted for a tune-up fight in his first foray back into the ring after that single-car crash in Dallas, a collision that he escaped without serious injury and also resulted in a driving while intoxicated charge. He was ultimately sentenced to probation.

Instead, "The Truth" is getting right back into the mix by fighting Garcia, a former welterweight and junior welterweight world champion.

        

Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

TV: Fox PPV, Premier Sports (UK)

Live stream: FoxSports.com/PPV, FITE.TV

Odds: Spence -500, Garcia +325 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

Garcia is a heavy underdog against Spence, but he's no slouch. He has beaten the likes of Robert Guerrero, Zab Judah and Amir Khan, and his most recent bout saw him score a dominant seventh-round stoppage win over Adrian Granados in April.

The 32-year-old is a sharp counterpuncher with a great chin, but he's hasn't been able to rise to the top in a crowded welterweight division, having narrowly lost big fights to Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman in recent years.

Spence will be perhaps the toughest challenge of Garcia's career, but the Philadelphia native believes he can carve out a path to victory.

"After the Mikey [Garcia] fight and the [Shawn] Porter fight, you know I saw some holes in his game and I felt, you know, it's a good opportunity for me to become champion again", he told PBC on Fox (comment at 3:15 mark in video below):

Whatever part of Spence's game Garcia plans on exploiting, he'll do so knowing he has little margin for error. Spence didn't get a knockout in his last two wins—over Mikey Garcia and Porter—but he showed he can bully smaller fighters (Garcia) and survive a relentless firefight (Porter). 

Assuming he's at his best, Spence should be able to handle whatever Garcia throws at him. But doubts will linger right up until the fight gets underway considering all that Spence has been through in the last year.

The 30-year-old southpaw paced his recovery from the crash and only started sparring again in September, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole. He admitted to worrying about his ability to fight at some points.

"Of course it runs through your mind, 'Am I really going to be able to fight again?'" Spence said. "I didn't tell anybody that was running through my mind, but it was."

While he wasn't seriously hurt in the crash, there's no way to know for sure if he will be the same pound-for-pound superstar moving forward. Fans can only hope that is the case, because if Spence wins on Saturday night, it sets up the possibility for some interesting superfights.

He could jump onto the global stage and line up a fight with Manny Pacquiao, who holds the WBA "super" world welterweight title. But the Filipino is 41 years old, and we've seen him humbled before.

A fighter who hasn't yet been humbled in the ring, and the one boxing purists would most like Spence to face, is Terence "Bud" Crawford.

The undefeated 33-year-old is coming off a stunning knockout win over Kell Brook and has expressed interest in taking on Spence. Crawford, the WBO titleholder at 147 pounds, is three years older than the New Yorker, so the sooner that fight can get made, the better for all involved.

Of course, that assumes Spence is able to beat Garcia on Saturday night. If he falls short, Garcia wouldn't be a bad opponent for Crawford, either.

Terence "Bud" Crawford will put an undefeated record and a world title on the line Saturday night when he takes on former world title-holder Kell Brook at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) is regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters of his generation. The WBO world welterweight champion switches stances, fights on the outside and toe-to-toe with ease, has excellent timing and a knack for dismantling his opponent's game plans. He's had incredible success at every level he's fought at, and at 33 years old is hoping he can soon line up some of the biggest fights of his career. 

Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) has had a fine career but is a massive underdog against Crawford. He has won three fights in a row since losing to Errol Spence Jr. and Gennady Golovkin in back-to-back fights. At 34 years old, "Special K" is looking to prove he still has some of the magic that allowed him to capture a world title at 147 pounds.

Here's how to watch the fight.

     

Crawford vs. Brook Fight Info

When: Saturday, Nov. 14 at 10 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: MGM Grand in Las Vegas

TV: ESPN (US), Premier Sports (UK)

Live stream: ESPN.com

Odds: Crawford -1667 (bet $1,667 to win $100), Brook +700 (bet $100 to win $700) (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvWrzJyfwQA

     

Even though his opponents have been underwhelming at times (through no fault of his own), there's no doubt Crawford has put together a brilliant career. A world champion in three divisions, Crawford has already defended his WBO title three times after winning it from Jeff Horn in 2018. The year before, he accomplished one of boxing's rarest feats, in which he unified all four world titles in the super lightweight division with an all-too-easy-win over Julius Indongo. 

The Omaha, Nebraska, native has won 10 of his last 11 bouts by stoppage, the most recent a ninth-round TKO win over Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Most of Crawford's stoppage wins are of the TKO variety. He so thoroughly breaks down and overwhelms his opponents that the referees or the trainer has no choice but to call it a night. 

Brook is hoping to become the first boxer to solve the riddle Crawford poses. He's a former IBF champion at welterweight, with a signature win over Shawn Porter in 2014 (one of only three bouts he's fought in the United States). He's naturally bigger than Crawford, having made a brief foray into middleweight which ended when Golovkin fractured his eye socket.

Brook hopes he can use his physicality to pull off an upset, citing Teofimo Lopez's recent win over Vasiliy Lomachenko as an example, per ESPN.com's Nick Parkinson:

"But I believe it will be like Lopez-Lomachenko, I felt the difference between me and Golovkin. I'm a big welterweight, and Crawford started at lightweight so I'm naturally the bigger guy. I've also got experience on my side, I've been in with the likes of Shawn Porter and Errol Spence Jr., and I know what these top guys are going to be like."

Brook may cut a more imposing figure than Crawford, but he's going to have to contend with the latter's long reach. According to BoxRec, Crawford has a 74-inch reach to Brook's 69-inch reach.

Crawford likes to take a couple of rounds to figure out the rhythms and tactics of his opponent. He can stay safe behind his jab in the early rounds, neutralizing Brook's physicality before imposing his will on the match. That's how its gone for so many fights in his career. Assuming Bud hasn't lost a step, Brook is likely going to need to find a way to get some power shots in early and force Crawford to respect his punches. 

Should he get past Brook, Crawford has made it clear who he wants to see in the ring next. 

"Manny Pacquiao. Because that's the fight that I've been calling for over the past few years," he said, per Bleacher Report's Kelsey McCarson. 

Pacquiao would be an excellent opponent for Crawford, who isn't quite a household name but could easily be one thanks to his skill and crowd-pleasing fighting style. The window of opportunity for Crawford to put together a few blockbuster fights to cap his career is shrinking as he heads toward his mid-30s. A win over Brook puts him in prime position to do just that.

     

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Terence Crawford will put his undefeated record on the line in a welterweight bout against Kell Brook, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN's Ben Baby.

The fight will reportedly happen November 14, with the location yet to be determined.

Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) has been out of the ring since a technical knockout of Egidijus Kavaliauskas on December 14. It was his third consecutive successful defense of the WBO welterweight title, which Crawford will once again risk in his matchup with Brook.

The fight will be made available on a linear ESPN platform rather than pay-per-view as Arum looks to navigate the financial constraints his sport is facing because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"These networks have to understand how people are hurting, how many people in this country and in the UK are out of work because of this pandemic," Arum said. "I think it's really immoral to require people to spend [more] money watching their favorite sport every week, every other week."

Brook (39-2, 27 KOs), fighting out of Sheffield, England, last defeated Mark DeLuca via TKO to earn the vacant WBO intercontinental light-middleweight belt. He previously held the IBF welterweight title from March 2015 to May 2017.

The famed promoter is hoping wherever the fight is staged, fans will be permitted to attend. Las Vegas, Nevada and Crawford's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, are both considered options to host the card.

"We hope this will lead to events where we can have paying spectators [at a] safe distance and [on] a limited basis," Arum said.

One of the most sublime finishers in boxing is on tap to help close out 2019. Terence "Bud" Crawford will put his WBO world welterweight title on the line against Egidijus Kavaliauskas on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs) has gone the distance just once in his past 10 fights, a unification bout against Viktor Postol in 2016 that Crawford won easily on the cards. A complete boxer, he usually spends a couple of rounds sizing up his opponent. As soon as he's figured them out, Crawford proceeds to break them down with quick combinations, razor-sharp counterpunching and excellent defense. He's as relentless as gravity, and he rarely lets his opponents see the final bell.

Kavaliauskas (21-0-1, 17 KOs) is a solid, if unsatisfying opponent for Crawford. A decorated amateur and undefeated as a pro, Ring considers him the eighth-best fighter at 147 pounds. He's not to be taken lightly, but the 31-year-old is likely to be seen as yet another sacrifice upon Crawford's altar as fans wait for the Pride of Omaha to get the superfight some believe he needs to cement his legacy.

The prime-time ESPN card Crawford is headlining features two other interesting bouts. Teofimo Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs), a 22-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, with superstar potential, will fight for his first major belt when he takes on IBF world lightweight champion Richard Commey (29-2, 26 KOs).

Also on the card is a grudge match of sorts between featherweights Michael Conlan (12-0, 7 KOs) and Vladimir Nikitin (3-0). Conlan will be looking to avenge a highly controversial loss to Nikitin in the 2016 Olympics.

                     

Terence Crawford vs. Egidijus Kavaliauskas Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 14 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York

TV: ESPN

Live stream: Watch ESPN

Odds: Crawford -2,500 (bet $2,500 to win $100), Kavaliauskas +1,100 (bet $100 to win $1,100)

Odds courtesy of Caesars and updated as of Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7 a.m. ET.

           

While boxing fans lament the fact that Crawford still hasn't fought the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, the 32-year-old champion prefers to focus on the big picture, per Bad Left Hook's Wil Esco:

"It really too much don't bother me as much as people think. I done accomplished more than all those welterweights over there except Pacquiao. If you look at what I accomplished in the sport of boxing, if you looks at what Errol, Keith, Shawn, Danny Garcia, all those other welterweights over there, I done accomplished way more each and every one of them, except Pacquiao."

Crawford is a three-division world champion, and in 2017, made history by unifying all four major titles in the junior lightweight division. He's undefeated and is the No. 4 pound-for-pound fighter and No. 1 welterweight, per Ring. It's an excellent resume, but he has made it look all too easy at times.

When he was busy dominating the 140-pound division, there was a sense the real action would begin at welterweight. He's a couple days away from his fourth fight at 147 pounds, and the biggest name he's drawn was a past-his-prime Amir Khan in April, whom he beat via sixth-round TKO (an incidental low blow ended the affair, but Khan was taking a thorough beating).

Crawford always keeps his cool, but he may be itching to get a big fight put together before he gets too deep into his 30s. He's teased one possible way to make that happen.

"I'm going to 160 after this...I'm going to 160, whoever," he said, per Esco. You think I'm playing? I'm going to 160. My next fight I'm going to 160."

While Bud gets peppered with questions about his legacy, there isn't much to ask the relatively anonymous Kavaliauskas about other than his upcoming fight. That's fine—it appears to be all he thinks about.

"Crawford was on my mind from the start of training camp in June," Kavaliauskas, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "So every day was Crawford, Crawford, Crawford. My mindset is good."

It's hard to describe what a path to victory would look like for the challenger because Crawford has no glaring weaknesses. He can box on the outside or slug it out at close range, switch stances if he feels one gives him more of an advantage, play defense or pile on the pressure.

Kavaliauskas' best bet is to try to frustrate Crawford, throw him multiple looks and hope he can land a power punch that stuns the favorite. Nobody has done that in 35 professional fights, but maybe the 36th time is the charm. The likelier scenario is Crawford beats up on Kavaliauskas and retains his title, adding another victory to a sterling resume that some argue could use a little more polish.