Boxing

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis Preview: Date, Time, Keys To Victory, How To Watch

Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis will face off in a unification bout for the IBF, WBA and vacant Ring Magazine welterweight titles.
Nathaniel Marrero|
Jaron Ennis (left) and Eimantas Stanionis (right).
Jaron Ennis (left) and Eimantas Stanionis (right). | Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

One of the best fights that can be made in boxing is one day away from finally going down.

Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis will finally face off in a unification bout for the IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles on Saturday at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ on DAZN. For both fighters, they know their best will be required given the stakes and the opponent they'll be standing across from at Boardwalk Hall.

“I’m ready to show out and put on a show and show the world why I’m the best and come Saturday night I’m going to take home all these belts," Ennis said. "We expect him to do what he usually does. Come forward, throw a lot of jabs, punches and try to hook, a typical pressure fighter. I don’t think he can do much else other than that.”

“Because of the opportunity and the opponent, I put everything into it," Stanionis said. "I left no stones unturned and last time I finished my training I said “thank god” no injuries and I’m ready to go.”

For Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs), the IBF welterweight champion, a stellar showing vs. Stanionis would be a coming-of-age performance given the hype surrounding him as he ascended the welterweight division. A win for Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) would upset the apple cart and immediately assert him as the top welterweight in the world.

Keys To Victory

Jaron Ennis

Dig the body

Stanionis' best path to an upset is through using his pace and ability to outwork Ennis. The best way for Ennis to mitigate that is by going to the body early and throughout the fight.

If Stanionis is using his typical high guard, Ennis will have plenty of opportunities to land body shots throughout the fight. Ennis can especially do damage out of the southpaw stance with his left hand.

Not only will going to the body go a long way toward slowing Stanionis down, it could position Ennis to stop him later in the fight.

Take away Stanionis' left hand

Most of Stanionis' offense revolves around his left hand. Stanionis' jab and left hook are his two most effective weapons and help set up the rest of his attacks. He also uses them both to the head and to the body and throws them in combinations.

Fighting out of the southpaw stance can help Ennis with taking Stanionis' left hand away. It would position Ennis' right hand up against Stanionis' left hand and make it more difficult for him to use it on a consistent basis.

Ennis could also look to counter and punch with Stanionis whenever he throws a jab. With Ennis holding the power advantage, sharp counterpunches or him getting the better of exchanges can make Stanionis much more predictable and slow his offense down.

Eimantas Stanionis

Push the pace

Stanionis' pace and volume are key elements of his offense and they'll have to carry the day for him against Ennis.

It'll likely be difficult for Stanionis to be able to go punch for punch with Ennis. If he's going to find success, Stanionis will probably have to outwork Ennis and land more punches than him, which is a tall task against a slick counterpuncher like Boots.

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

With Stanionis' pressure style, it's going to be tough for him to avoid taking punishment, especially early on. But if Stanionis can weather the early storm, push the pace and dig the body, it could pay huge dividends and help slow Ennis down later in the fight.

Counter Ennis' jab

One of the best ways to take away an opponent's jab is by jabbing with them, and Stanionis' jab is among the best in boxing. In his last fight against Gabriel Maestre, he averaged just over 11 jabs landed per round.

If Stanionis can take away Boots' jab and get his jab going, it'll help him find his way to the inside. If Stanionis can consistently find his way to the inside, his chances of winning increase exponentially.

A strong jab is the best weapon in boxing, and if Stanionis can get his going while simultaneously taking away Ennis' jab, an upset victory and becoming a unified welterweight champion can be within reach.

Here is how to watch Ennis vs. Stanionis and the rest of the card on Saturday night.

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis fight date

Date: April 12, 2025

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis takes place on April 12.

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis start time

Time: 8 p.m. ET — 5 p.m. PT

The main card for Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis begins at 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis

TV/ Stream: DAZN

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis can be streamed on DAZN.

MORE: Eimantas Stanionis Ready To F*** Up Jaron Ennis' Plans

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis location

Location: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis will take at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis televised fight card

Jaron Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) vs. Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs): 12-round unification title bout for IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles

Raymond Ford (16-1-1, 8 KOs) vs. Thomas Mattice (22-4-1, 17 KOs): 10-round WBA Continental North American featherweight title bout

Omari Jones (1-0, 1 KO) vs. William Jackson (13-5-2, 5 KOs): 6-round junior middleweight bout

Shakhram Giyasov (16-0, 9 KOs) vs. Franco Ocampo (17-2, 8 KOs): 10-round welterwight bout

Zaquin Moses (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Alex Pallette (1-3, 1 KO): 4-round junior lightweight bout

Published
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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