From leaving home in search of a better life to surviving on a small raft in rough open seas to eating McDonald’s dollar-menu apple pies just to get by to fighting Manny Pacquiao a decade later, Yordenis Ugas has seen it all.

Two years after winning a bronze medal for Cuba at the 2008 Olympics, he defected from Cuba and moved to Miami in order to further pursue his dream of becoming a world champion.

From 2014 to 2016, Ugas retired from the sport. However, as he attempted to launch his professional boxing career, he struggled to restore himself in the sport. Since then, he has come a long way and now is all set to compete against boxing’s only eight-division champion, Manny Pacquiao.

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With 105 amateur bouts and 30 professional fights, the Cuban boxer is now the WBA “Super” welterweight champion. As he heads into his next fight against Manny Pacquiao tonight, here’s a deeper look at Yordenis Ugas‘ manager and his current promoter, who have helped him along the way.

Who is Yordenis Ugas’ manager, Luis DeCubas Jr?

33-year-old Luis DeCubas Jr. is easily one of the biggest names in boxing management. Born into the world of boxing, he spent his childhood in boxing gyms observing his father work with different world champions.

His father worked with 23 world champions. His uncle, Ricardo DeCubas was a boxing trainer, he trained Jorge Luis Gonzalez. Even his mother, Samia DeCubas, was chosen the Puerto Rico Promoter of the Year in 1997. He involved himself in the family business from a very young age.

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DeCubas once lived at the MGM Grand with his father for 18 months as Jorge Luis Gonzales trained for a fight against heavyweight champ Riddick Bowe in 1995. This is where and how he learned the value of treating his clients like family.

“I was seven, and I remember asking my dad, ‘What are we doing out here?’ because my father took me out of school for a month. I saw it then how a fighter’s team is like a family. You live and die together.

“It’s why a lot of the fighters that I have and come across through time are family to me, and boxing was never something that was going to be a hobby to me. Being involved in boxing is something that I was destined to do. I born and bred into boxing,” said Luis DeCubas Jr.

Apart from Yordenis Ugas, DeCubas manages top names in boxing like Erislandy Lara, Andy Ruiz, Caleb Plant, Julian Williams, Mario Barrios, Robert Guerrero, Luis Ortiz, Guillermo Rigondeaux and David Benavidez.

Who is Yordenis Ugas’ Promoter?

Being an Olympic Bronze medalist with extensive amateur experience, Top Rank Promotions signed him and set up his first fight in February 2011 against Carlos Musquez. Ugas went on to win his first six fights in the promotion. Consequently, this boosted his professional record to 11-0.

With such a clean record, Top Rank boosted his competition level by matching him up with Johnny Garcia, on Showtime’s prospect-oriented series, ShoBox: The New Generation. However, Garcia outboxed Yordenis Ugas and he lost via split decision.

With his first loss, Top Rank released him from the promotion. After leaving Top Rank, he won four fights in a row. However, he then suffered back-to-back losses in 2014 against Emanuel Robles and Amir Imam. Unable to cope with losses, Ugas announced his retirement from the sport.

“I was retired, 100 percent out of boxing; wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I was confused. I didn’t know what I was going to do in life, period. Bad time in my career; bad time in life,” said Yordenis Ugas.

However, his retirement was short-lived. After making some changes in his life and moving to Las Vegas, he made a mark in boxing upon his return.

Subsequently, Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions promotion ultimately signed Yordenis Ugas. Upon his return to the sport, he defeated two tough opponents. This impressed the promotion and his manager, Luis DeCubas Jr. Being under the PBC umbrella has now helped him secure a fight with Manny Pacquiao.

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