Undefeated WBA Welterweight Champion Eimantas Stanionis Anticipates Tough Bout Against Former Rival Gabriel Maestre
Eimantas Stanionis, the unbeaten WBA welterweight titleholder, acknowledges the fine line that all rising prospects must walk at the start of their careers. The Lithuanian boxer, a former Olympian, is set to defend his title against former amateur rival Gabriel Maestre this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Stanionis, who boasts a perfect 14-0 (9 KOs) record, reflects on the pressure of coming from a small country to the United States. “Every fight for me was a must-win for me to even allow myself to go somewhere. If I had lost, I would have been forced to pack my bags and go back to Lithuania,” he explained.
Despite the nerves and stress that come with boxing, the 29-year-old champion is excited for the upcoming fight. “I am so excited, happy while I am waiting for this fight to come around. I am looking forward to being in the locker room, getting my hands wrapped and waiting to flick the switch for when it is the time to go to the ring,” Stanionis shared.
With his sights set on unification bouts, the Lithuanian fighter is open to facing any top contender in the welterweight division. “I really will fight anybody. I never duck anyone because it has never been my mentality to do so since I was a kid,” he stated.
Stanionis will be competing on the undercard of the highly anticipated Cinco de Mayo showdown between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jaime Munguia. While he acknowledges Canelo’s star power and experience, the champion believes anything can happen in the main event. “This is why I love boxing so much. You cannot know for sure what will happen in a fight,” Stanionis concluded.
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