From Fatherless To A Fighting Chance

As a fatherless, hyper-active eight-year-old in Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania, Eimantas Stanionis was always fighting in the streets.

“[I was] always winning, winning, winning,” said Stanionis, who was raised by his mother, Aiste Dzidolikiene, and maternal grandparents after his father departed when he was two-years-old. “I’ve been fighting my whole life. My dad left us when I was a kid. My mother raised me and she’s the toughest person that I know.”

Aiste finally took her son to a local gym, where he learned mixed martial arts and, eventually, laced on a pair of boxing gloves at the age of 13 even though his head was often handed to him.

“That’s what motivated me to come back,” said Stanionis. “When you’re always winning and you lose, you want to get back at the guy who beat you. That’s what kept me coming back to boxing. I always like using my hands.”

As an amateur, Stanionis won 141 of 160 bouts, twice winning a pair of youth national titles, four senior national crowns and the 2015 European Championships.  He also qualified to represent Lithuania in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where he lost to the eventual welterweight silver medalist Shakhram Giyasov of Uzbekistan, 3-0, in the second round.

Stanionis earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Science in 2017, the same year he turned pro by going 4-0 with three knockouts.

“When I became a professional after the Olympics, [his father] tried coming back into my life,” said Stanionis.

“I didn’t want to see him, because he left us when the times were tough. [His mother is] the one who used to drag me off the streets after I beat someone up. That’s what started me in boxing.”

Mowing Them Down

Stanionis won thrice more, two by stoppage, in 2018: Fourth- and third-round TKOs of Hector Munoz (March) and Erick Daniel Martinez (June) preceding a hard-earned eight-round unanimous decision over Levan Ghvamichava (August), who entered at 18-3-1 (13 KOs).

In 2019, Stanionis yet again won two of three bouts by stoppage, in succession, handling Samuel Figueroa (March) by eight-round unanimous decision before halting Evincii Dixon (October) and Julio Cesar Sanchez (December) by first- and third-round knockouts. 

Figueroa, a southpaw, entered at 11-1 only to succumb to a Stanionis who had suffered torn ligaments and a broken right wrist during training two weeks prior to their fight. 

“At the time, I didn’t know I broke my wrist. It was painful, but I had to fight. It was on TV and could not miss that chance. It’s funny, because my mother still doesn’t like me fighting. She stays in Lithuania when I fight,” said Stanionis.

“She is a very strong woman, and she never complained about anything. She did everything in a hard way and she had a hard life. I learned a lot of lessons from her. Nothing can break her. She’s the one who taught me to never run away from anything. I want the best fighters. I want to face the best welterweights in the world today.”

From Prospect to Contender

On Wednesday, November 4, 2020, Stanionis returned to the ring against the toughest opponent of his career, skilled boxer-puncher Justin DeLoach. Stanionis was at his best, delivering a ninth-round TKO victory in the main event of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
 
In the early rounds, DeLoach had some success moving around the ring and by being the busier fighter against the patient Stanionis. The 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Stanionis continued to push forward and stay in the face of DeLoach, slowly finding a place to land left hooks and numerous body shots.
 
In round seven, Stanionis broke through with a combination straight right hand followed by a left hook to the head that staggered DeLoach. Stanionis was able to capitalize on the moment and continued to punish DeLoach, who was able to hold enough to make it through the round.
 
Stanionis finished the fading DeLoach in round nine, hitting him with a left hook to the head and body shot combo that put DeLoach on the canvas midway through the round. After rising from a second knockdown moments later, DeLoach was swarmed by Stanionis until referee Ray Corona stopped the bout 2:53 into the ninth round. Stanionis was the more accurate fighter according to CompuBox, landing 29% to DeLoach's 20% while besting him in total punches landed with a 124 to 118 mark.

Making Serious Noise

Stanionis returned to the ring quickly, taking on Colombia's Janer Gonzalez on December 16, 2020, in the main event of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

Stanionis continued his ascent up the 147-pound rankings with an impressive ninth-round knockout win. He engaged in a body-punching duel for most of the entertaining fight with the stronger shots and a world-class jab that allowed him to maintain an edge throughout. Two overhand rights and a big right uppercut put Gonzalez down for an eight count late in round eight and a crushing right hand early in round nine dropped Gonzalez again, prompting Referee Jerry Cantu to wave off the fight at :45. 

On April 10, 2021, Stanionis registered his biggest win to date, outpointing former world title challenger Thomas Dulorme over 12 rounds at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. However, his next fight would end in disappointing fashion. On August 7, 2021, he and former world champ Luis Collazo saw their fight end in a No Decision after four rounds due to an accidental clash of heads which left Collazo badly cut. Stanionis was dominating up until the fight's end. 

ON THE PROWL FOR A WORLD TITLE

On April 16, 2022, Stanionis took on WBA 'regular" welterweight world champ Radzhab Butaev. The bout was part of a stacked card from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, featuring the welterweight unification between Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas atop a SHOWTIME pay-per-view. 

Stanionis moved a step closer to establishing himself as one of the sport’s best welterweights with an action-filled split decision win against the rugged Radzhab Butaev, lifting his WBA title. 

In a bout fought at close range, Stanionis landed the crisper, more eye-catching shots, repeatedly rocking the sturdy Butaev with hard rights and a reliable jab in the most complete performance of his career. He won by judges’ scores of 116-111, 117-110 and 113-114, improving to 14-0 with 9 knockouts, while Butaev, who had a point deducted in the 11th for holding and hitting, suffered the first defeat of his career, dropping to 14-1 with 11 knockouts.

“I still can’t believe it,” Stanionis said afterward. “It was a dream come true to hear ‘and the new.’ When I was a kid, I visualized what this would look like and how it would feel to become a champion. It’s because of the hard work, dedication, belief in myself and my team to get me to this big stage. I just want to tell everybody that dreams do come true. If you believe in it and give your everything, it will happen.”