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Yordenis Ugas’ Kids: Here’s How Taking Care of His Autistic Child Has Made Him a Better Man

Published 09/30/2023, 2:32 PM EDT

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In his upcoming fight, Ugas will face Mario Barrios in the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo fight. In the high-stakes world of professional boxing, Yordenis Ugas stands out as both an excellent boxer and a caring father. Unlike his peers in the boxing world, Ugas is a relatively private person, occasionally giving small glimpses of his personal life. He made his boxing debut back in 2010 against Dino Dumonjic. Though he went on a winning spree for the next eleven fights, things were never easy for Ugas. 

In 2012, Ugas faced his first career loss against Johnny Garcia, and subsequently, his promoters dropped him. What’s more, frustrated by the inability to find good fights, he withdrew from boxing in 2014. Despite all the adversities, Ugas has devoted himself to his family, especially to his son. For Ugas, the struggle began very early on when he had to escape Castro-ruled Cuba, which he successfully did in his seventh attempt. Upon arriving in America, the boxer met his wife and subsequently got married. However, the struggle did not end there for Ugas.

Yordenis Ugas is the father to how many kids

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During his hiatus from boxing, the Olympic champion and his wife, Dayanara Leon, had a son–Yordenis Ugas Jr. Even though the pair have made appearances in public, Ugas keeps his son away from the media. However, every now and then, Ugas does share glimpses of his personal life on his Instagram account. Back in 2018, Ugas shared an Instagram post of his son.

Accompanying the adorable image, Ugas wrote, “The children remind you and refresh all the sacrifices your parents had to make for you or your mother, who often had to do it alone.” Given the fact that Ugas is not very active on social media, the pictures he does share signify the most important aspects of his life.

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But what happened to Ugas’ son that lit a fire under him, motivating him to return to boxing?

What happened to Yordenis Ugas’ son, and how did it transform the World champion?

Even after having their first and only child, Ugas’ struggles did not end. His son was diagnosed with autism, something he had mentioned in an Instagram post. Alongside the post, Ugas offered a touching glimpse into having a child who suffers from autism and how that fact about his life has changed him.

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Ugas revealed that it had transformed him into a better person, and his perception of the world had changed significantly. His son even motivated him to get back into the sport of boxing. In a way, Ugas’ return to boxing can be credited directly to his son.

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Ugas has been through numerous adversities both in his personal life and inside the ring.  All the challenges he has had to face have helped him become a source of inspiration for people suffering from similar circumstances. The Cuban-born boxer isn’t just a champion in the world of boxing; he is also the undefeated and undisputed champion as a father. But we want to get your take on Ugas and his journey. 

Watch This Story: Yordenis Ugas vs. Mario Barrios Stats: Record, Height, Reach, Age, and Knockout Ratio

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Written by:

Sudeep Sinha

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Sudeep Sinha is a Boxing Writer at Essentially Sports. He is an avid fan of the sport and remains in awe of the fighters. He is inspired by the grit and the passion that boxers possess and feels that those are essential elements in order to do well in all spheres.
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Edited by:

Gokul Pillai