Undefeated WBA welterweight champ (14-0, 9 pts) will defend his belt against #1 Virgil Ortiz Jr. (19-0, 19 KO) on April 29 at DAZN at the University of Texas College Park Center On the Arlington campus. The fight will be broadcast live on DAZN.
Staniones, 28, recently had surgery that made it necessary to postpone his fight with Ortiz to April 29 instead of March, but thankfully, it will finally happen.
Stanionis will be out a year since he clinched the WBA “regular” 147-pound title last April with a 12-round victory over Radchap Butayev in a grueling fight in Arlington, Texas.
Since that fight, Staniones was on the shelf until he finally made his first WBA belt defense against undefeated golden boy Ortiz Jr.
Stanionis competed in the 2016 Olympics for his country of Lithuania, and turned professional after one year in 2017. In the past six years, Stanionis has collected wins against Luis Collazo, Tomas Dulorme, Levan Jvaamekava, Justin Deluch, and Janner Gonzalez.
For his part, Ortiz Jr. had a tougher road than Staniones, with wins over Maurice Hooker, Michael McKinson, Edigus Kavaliauskas, Brad Solomon, Antonio Orozco, Samuel Vargas, Juan Carlos Salgado, Mauricio Herrera and Roberto Ortiz.
“An in-ring war will break out on April 29th “These two dangerous fighters are fighting,” said Oscar De La Hoya.
Ortiz and Stanionis are elite fighters who won’t be afraid to unleash treacherous force and pressure to be world champions.
It’s great that De La Hoya finally let Ortiz Jr. fight for a world title because he’s had chances to fight for the belts in the past against WBO Champion Terence Crawford and IBF/WBA/WBC Champion Errol Spence Jr. Get the perfect chance to get a world title.
However, if Ortiz Jr. defeats Staniones, he may have to face Spence if he returns to the welterweight division after his April fight against Keith Thurman.
That bout is supposed to take place at 154, and it is unknown if Spence will return Vez to 147 or if he will choose to remain at small middleweight for the campaign in that weight class.
“I’m so happy, I know we’re finally here, fighting for a world title,” Virgil Ortiz Jr. said.
“Stanyones is a great fighter with tremendous strength, and I know we’re going to put on a good show for everyone.”
“Virgil asked for this battle, and here we are,” said Imantas Stanionis. “Make no mistake, it will be an absolute war.”
