Mario Barrios arrived in Las Vegas about 4 months in the past considering he would battle earlier than September 30 and towards an opponent aside from Yordenis Ugas.
The WBC ordered a bout between Barrios and Ugas in mid-March for its interim welterweight title. Quickly thereafter, although, it regarded like Ugas would sq. off with Keith Thurman, a fellow former 147-pound champion who has lengthy been inactive.
Alongside the way in which, Jamal James was talked about to Barrios as a possible opponent for his subsequent battle. Finally, and for causes unbeknownst to Barrios or Ugas, Ugas-Thurman was by no means finalized and their battle wound up scheduled as a part of the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo undercard September 30 at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas.
“For a pair months,” Barrios instructed BoxingScene.com, “we thought that we have been gonna be preventing any individual else as a result of we thought Ugas was gonna battle Thurman. Once I was instructed it was gonna be Ugas once more, I stated, ‘OK.’ We went again to what we have been engaged on within the first place. That’s simply how boxing is typically. I used to be simply staying prepared, mainly.”
San Antonio’s Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) made positive to keep away from overtraining as soon as it turned clear he wouldn’t field through the summer time, as he initially anticipated.
“I feel I’ve a fantastic crew,” Barrios stated. “All of us talk very properly, so far as the exercises and the way I’m feeling. As soon as issues have been getting pushed again and moved round, we simply deliberate accordingly.”
Barrios, 28, ended a one-year layoff when he stopped Puerto Rico’s Jovanie Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) within the eighth spherical of their February 11 bout at Alamodome in San Antonio.
Cuba’s Ugas, 37, will finish a 17-month layoff when he battles Barrios in a 12-round title battle Showtime Pay-Per-View will broadcast earlier than Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) defends his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO tremendous middleweight championships towards Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs). Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs) hasn’t fought since then-unbeaten Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) defeated him by Tenth-round technical knockout of their welterweight title unification battle in April 2022 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“I’m undecided how a lot it’s gonna have an effect on him,” Barrios stated relating to Ugas’ inactivity. “I simply know we’re gonna go into the battle utilizing that to our benefit. If something, as quickly because the battle begins, simply get proper to work. I already shook the little little bit of ring rust that I had off in February. So, I’m simply excited to get again in there, get again to work and show to all people that I’m among the finest within the division.”
Ugas-Barrios will likely be considered one of three televised bouts earlier than Charlo challenges Alvarez (8 p.m. EDT; 5 p.m. PDT; $84.99).
Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He will be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.