Pick It: TBRB #4 Yordenis Ugas vs. Manny Pacquiao (Saturday, FOX PPV, 8:00 PM EST)

Two years ago, one of the greatest fighters of all time extended his legacy and time near the top with a win over undefeated Keith Thurman. This weekend, 42-year old Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO) will look to regain an alphabet title he never lost in the ring and defeat another top five welterweight when he faces 35-year old WBA titlist Yordenis Ugas (26-4, 12 KO).

It isn’t the Spence-Pacquiao fight the world was waiting for but it’s pretty damn good. Whether it’s good enough for the price tag will be up to buyers but Pacquiao has faced less on pay-per-view. The undercard could be fun if Robert Guerrero-Victor Ortiz is more a faded man drama than just two guys who shouldn’t be there anymore proving it. In the end, all that will matter is the main event. After a long layoff, is boxing’s eldest statesman still one of the welterweight elites? If he is, and wins, it can only deepen the regard Pacquiao has earned across more than twenty years in the championship picture.        

Additional Shows to Watch For

Friday - Reis vs. Prazak (ESPN+, 12:00 PM EST)

For east coast viewers in the US, this card kicks off at lunchtime. For west coast viewers, it should arrive just in time to go with a tasty turkey sandwich. 21-year old featherweight Hasibullah Ahmadi (12-0, 4 KO) tries to stay unblemished against 38-year old Rauf Aghayev (31-10, 14 KO). Aghayev has been stopped seven times.

Friday - Reis vs. Prazak (UFC Fight Pass, 11:00 PM EST)

34-year old former WBC middleweight titlist Kali Reis (17-7-1, 5 KO) has won four in a row since a failed effort at then-undisputed welterweight queen Cecilia Braekhus. Reis will try to make it five in a row against former WBC featherweight titlist Diana Prazak (14-3, 9 KO). Prazak has only been stopped once. Prazak has risen over the years to Jr. welterweight and rReis has scaled down for what will be a 140 lb. clash.

Friday/Saturday - Valtierra vs. Ibarra (Telemundo, 12:00 AM EST)

Fresh, undefeated faces from Mexico making their way to bigger airwaves are always worth a look. 19-year old lightweight Denilson Valtierra (15-0, 8 KO) is being brought along deliberately and that makes sense. Can he even shave yet? 28-year old Alberto Ibarra (10-2, 7 KO) should give him some good rounds.

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com