The WBC has ordered former WBA champion Yordenis Ugas to take on Mario Barrios for the interim 147-pound title.
The number two ranked Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs) and fifth ranked Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) are likely to clash in July.
The welterweight title is in Errol Spence Jr.’s possession at the moment, and he is expected to fight Keith Thurman next in a non-title bout. However, if Spence remains in the junior middleweight class after the Thurman fight, the winner of the Ugas vs. Barrios showdown will likely take him head-on.
Moreover, the WBC could also order the winner to defend their interim champion status against the winner of the upcoming eliminator between Cody Crowley and Abel Ramos.
Ugas, 36, last appeared inside the ring when he suffered a defeat to Spence in April at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He was stopped in the 10th round of their welterweight title unification fight. The ringside physician stopped the fight after the area surrounding Ugas’s eyes was severely swollen.
Round 10. I had 4 rounds fighting with a serious injury to my eye that led to surgery. I was never going to give up. Never give up. #SpenceUgas pic.twitter.com/oeZEnnv0yD
— Yordenis Ugas (@YordenisUgas) September 12, 2022
Through this, Spence continued his unbeaten journey as he retained the IBF and WBC belts.
As for Barrios, he’s coming off a February win against Puerto Rico’s Jovanie Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) . The former world titlist stopped Santiago in the eighth round.
Mario Barrios TKOs Jovanie Santiago on the undercard of Rey Vargas vs. O’Shaquie Foster pic.twitter.com/3EIEGweKwO
— Granby Roll (@ChillemDa4) February 12, 2023