At 42, Pacquiao tries to defy Father time, takes on Ugas for WBA welterweight belt

With questions on his longevity casting a shadow on his personal mission to reclaim a belt he once owned, Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring after a two-year hiatus when he takes on Yordenis Ugas of Cuba on Saturday (Sunday, August 22 in Manila) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

- CARLO ANOLIN

Minus the crowd and the usual pre-pandemic atmosphere on weigh-in events, Pacquiao tipped the scales at 146 lbs while Ugas registered 147 lbs ahead of their super WBA welterweight title bout.

The fighting senator is considered to be the favorite at -350 while Ugas is positioned as a +275 underdog despite being the titleholder. Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions earlier said this could be Pacquiao's poetic justice should he win.

After all, Pacquiao, the only eight-division world boxing champion, is on his road to becoming the oldest welterweight champion anew if he hurdles past his Cuban opponent four months before he turns 43 in December.