Boxing

Eimantas Stanionis Fires Warning At Jaron Ennis Ahead Of April 12 Fight

Eimantas Stanionis is ready to do what no other boxer has done to Jaron Ennis in their unification bout for the IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles.
Nathaniel Marrero|
Jaron "Boots" Ennis (left) and Eimantas Stanionis (right).
Jaron "Boots" Ennis (left) and Eimantas Stanionis (right). | Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Few fights are more intriguing than one between two undefeated fighters in their prime squaring off for a world title.

Jaron "Boots" Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis represents exactly that when they face off in a unification bout for the IBF, WBA and vacant Ring Magazine welterweight title on Saturday at at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. While Ennis is the sizable favorite and on the verge of cementing himself as one of boxing's best, Stanionis is more than ready to lay it all on the line to pull off the upset.

“Ennis is slick, explosive, and they say he’s the future of the division," Stanionis said. "That’s why I signed the contract. I don’t duck anyone, I run toward the fire. This isn’t gonna be a chess match. This is going to be a war. I’m stepping into that ring to test him, break him, and beat him. Let’s see how he handles real pressure." 

For Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs), the WBA welterweight champion, it'll be just his second fight since April of 2022, when he first won the interim WBA title with a split decision victory over Radzhab Butaev. Multiple canceled bouts against Vergil Ortiz didn't help Stanionis' activity over the last three years, and in his lone bout in nearly three years, he defeated Gabriel Maestre by unanimous decision on May 4.

Stanionis was elevated to WBA welterweight champion in August after Terence Crawford vacated the belt.

MORE: Jaron Ennis Ready To 'Claim The Crown' vs. Eimantas Stanionis

With the task at hand against Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs), Stanionis' preparation has hit another level and he believes Saturday with reveal the best version of himself on the biggest stage he's fought on to date.

“Camp at Wild Card has been a warzone — exactly how I like it,” Stanionis said. “With Coach Marvin Somodio, we’ve been grinding non-stop. The sparring partners we worked with are monsters [and] they pushed me to the edge. Speed, defense, pressure, we’ve dialed in every weapon I possess. Every day I walk into that gym, I treat it like a fight. I’m locked in, and hungry. This is the best version of me the world’s ever seen."

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero

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