Manny Pacquiao’s opponent injured, pulls out of Aug. 21 fight

Unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. has withdrawn from his planned combat with Manny Pacquiao connected Aug. 21 successful Las Vegas due to the fact that of a retinal teardrop successful his near eye, Premier Boxing Champions announced Tuesday.

Spence volition beryllium replaced by titlist Yordenis Ugas, who already was acceptable to combat connected the undercard. The combat volition spell up astatine T-Mobile Arena.

“I person a tremendous magnitude of respect for Pacquiao, but I americium coming to triumph this fight,” Ugas said successful a statement. “I’ve been successful campy moving hard with my manager Ismael Salas and I cognize unneurotic we volition travel up with a masterful crippled program to combat thing Manny volition bring to the ring.”

Pacquiao (62-7, 39 KOs), 1 of the top fighters of each time, was preparing to instrumentality connected a large situation successful Spence (27-0, 21 KOs), who galore see the apical combatant successful the 147-pound division. But he’ll present look Ugas (26-4, 12 KOs), who is coming disconnected a divided determination triumph implicit Abel Ramos successful September.

Ugas, of Cuba, has wins implicit a fig of coagulated contenders, including Jamal James, Thomas Dulorme and Ray Robinson. The 35-year-old mislaid a contested divided determination to Shawn Porter successful 2019, and this combat volition correspond by acold the biggest accidental of his career.

Pacquiao, 42, has not fought since helium bushed the antecedently undefeated Keith Thurman astatine MGM Grand Garden Arena successful July 2019.

Spence learned of the wounded during a pre-fight aesculapian exam Monday successful Las Vegas, according to the release. He volition person country connected Wednesday successful Dallas.

“First and foremost, I inquire everyone to articulation maine successful praying for a afloat and implicit betterment for Errol Spence Jr.,’’ Pacquiao said. “Thank God his carnal introspection discovered his oculus information earlier helium suffered immoderate further damage. I person agreed to combat Yordenis Ugas connected August 21 for the WBA welterweight ace championship. The due mode and the lone mode to triumph a satellite rubric is wrong the ring.”

Contact Jonah Dylan astatine jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @TheJonahDylan connected Twitter.