A shot at IBF 147-pound boss Errol Spence Jr. was up for grabs Saturday night, with Cuban Yordenis Ugas and Philly fighter Ray Robinson being the welterweights battling for the opportunity.

Ugas, age 31, came away with the win, scoring a TKO over Robinson, who went down in round one and again in the seventh, in a fight broadcast on Showtime.

Robinson (24-3, 12 knockouts) impressed me with his Instagram post, following the loss, which showed grace and dignity.

Not every win is a victory and not every loss is a defeat. I’m blessed I’m able to do what I love and thankful for all my supporters and my team. We’re going to be right back at it and are ready to continue to work on my dream. God doesn’t make mistakes. I fought a tough opponent and can only learn and move forward from here @yordenis_ugas @showtimeboxing

A post shared by The New Ray Robinson (@thenewrayrobinson) on Feb 18, 2018 at 11:10am PST

On Sunday, I asked him for his thoughts following the scrap. “It was a good fight but I needed a keep-busy fight before this one to keep myself sharp,” the 32-year-old said. “From now on, that’s what will happen. No more long layoffs before fighting top fighters!”

Stylistically and tactically, did Robinson do what he wanted? Or looking back, would he have altered the game plan? “Everything is off instinct. I reacted the way I did and, like I said before, it was a good fight. It just didn’t go my way…and no one knows, if I had a longer camp (it was four weeks), if my reactions would have been different but, when you’re in there, everything is off reacting.”

I told him his Instagram post impressed me but also asked if there was an initial period of depression.

“Of course. No one likes losing but there’s always a possibility that it can happen,” Robinson said. “Twenty-four people ended up on that side when I fought them and now I’m on that side but you have to look at it as a learning experience and move on.” He paused: “It sucks, though.”

Joe Quiambao is with Split-T Management, the company to which Robinson is signed. What did he think of Robinson’s effort in Las Vegas?

“I didn’t like him being off more than six months,” Quiambao said. “It was the right opponent that he should have beaten. He just had a kid and bought a house, so he had to take it and the reward. If he was victorious, it would have led to a title shot. He is a fighter that will fight anybody. Obviously he is disappointed but he took the ‘L’ as a lesson instead of a loss. Maybe now the welterweights will fight him after this.”

Follow Michael Woods on Twitter @Woodsy1069.

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