Eimantas Stanionis, the relentless Lithuanian welterweight champion, is preparing to go toe-to-toe with Vergil Ortiz Jr. in a much-anticipated encounter this Saturday. Despite the change of venue and the proximity to Ortiz’s home turf, Stanionis seems unfazed by the prospect of fighting in hostile territory. He embraces his underdog status and is undeterred by the notion of going up against Ortiz in his home state of Texas.
Stanionis, with a remarkable career record of 14 wins, no losses, and one no-decision, told BoxingScene.com, “I am the champion but I go into the fight as the big underdog in everyone’s eyes." He continued, “Everyone thinks he [Ortiz] is going to win. Everybody is going to cheer him and they are going to boo me. I’m prepared. I like the underdog role, that mentality. I don’t even know any other feeling.”
Stanionis’ entire seven-year professional career has been in the U.S., but he’s always felt like an outsider, being from Lithuania. The upcoming fight in Texas will mark his fifth appearance in the state and his third in San Antonio. His last fight in Texas saw him clinch the WBA ‘Regular’ title in a twelve-round, split decision victory over Radzhab Butaev.
Ortiz, who has an unblemished record of 19 victories, all by way of knockout, is a -500 favorite according to bet365. Despite the odds and a crowd likely to favor Ortiz, Stanionis remains positive, saying, “When I win, maybe they don’t boo me anymore. But we’ll see.” It is clear that Stanionis is ready to make a statement, proving once again that he thrives in the underdog role.
Image Credit: ESPN