Unbeaten WBA welterweight beltholder Eimantas Stanionis admits all prospects are forced to walk a fine line at the start of their careers because they could be written off after just one loss.
Lithuanian Stanionis, a former Olympian, is 14-0 (9 KOs) and this weekend boxes former amateur rival Gabriel Maestre on Saturday at the T-Mobile in Las Vegas. While the 29-year-old is looking to unify in time, he is also aware of how costly a slip-up could be.
“I was a little bit scared coming from a small country to the U.S.” he explained. “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.
“I do not know what has changed in me right now. 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.
“Of course, I know I still have the nerves. It is boxing, but it is normal to feel those nerves because we are human beings. Some people will be scared, and some will be stressed, but I have done this a thousand times, whether it is sparring or fighting, so I am not stressing about it all.”
Stanionis has been linked with a number of big names, should he win on the PBC show this weekend and he made it clear he has no preference of who might come after Maestre. He just wants significant contests.
“I really will fight anybody,” he added. “I never duck anyone because it has never been my mentality to do so since I was a kid. I started in mixed martial arts, doing kickboxing and MMA until I turned 13 years old. That’s when I turned to boxing.
“I fought anyone, anywhere. It really doesn’t matter to me who I fight in the future.”
For now, he is happy to be on one of the biggest events of the year, underneath a main event that showcases the all-Mexican showdown between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jaime Munguia. Stanionis feels like anything can happen in the Cinco de Mayo blockbuster.
“It is tough to go against Canelo. He is a superstar and the face of boxing. He has so much experience fighting the best in the world on so many big shows,” said Stanionis.
“Munguia is young, hungry, and disciplined. We train at the same gym, and he is always busy and ready.
“This is why I love boxing so much. You cannot know for sure what will happen in a fight.”