Yordenis Ugás Returns to Professional Boxing After Three Years Away

May 23, 2026

Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás, former WBA welterweight world champion, has confirmed his return to the ring after a three-year absence. The 39-year-old from Santiago de Cuba will face Mexican fighter Jesús "Bala" López on June 6, 2026, in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, in a 10-round super welterweight bout promoted by Bxstrs Promotions.

López, 25 years old, carries a professional record of 16 wins, 17 losses, and 3 draws, and enters the fight on a three-bout losing streak. For Ugás — the man who handed boxing legend Manny Pacquiao a convincing defeat in 2021 — the bout represents an opportunity to show there is still more to give.

Ugás last stepped inside the ropes in 2023, when he challenged Mexican Mario Barrios for the WBC interim welterweight title. Although he survived all twelve rounds, the judges did not score in his favor. That fight came a year after his painful defeat to American Errol Spence Jr., who stopped him in the tenth round via technical knockout due to severe swelling around one eye — later revealed to be an orbital fracture.

Despite the physical toll and questions surrounding his durability, Ugás has repeatedly insisted he is not ready to hang up his gloves. His comeback mirrors moves made by other prominent Cuban boxers in recent months, including Yuriolkis Gamboa and Guillermo Rigondeaux, who have also announced their own returns to the professional game.

The contest will be as much a test of resolve as of ability. If Ugás can impose his experience over the youth and hunger of "Bala" López, he may yet open new doors in a super welterweight division that still has room for a seasoned competitor with championship pedigree.