AFTER moving to America ahead of his professional debut, WBA world welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis knew that losing was never an option.
With a name that hardly rolls off the tongue in the Western world, his story, no matter how compelling, was always going to be a difficult sell.
For that reason, his success in the sport has largely been defined by his performances in the ring, rather than an elevated profile on social media or, worse still, a tendency to generate controversy with his mouth.
In other words, with no opportunities handed to him on a plate, Stanionis, 15-0 (9 KOs), has instead earned his position on the world stage through nothing but merit.
So now, with the 30-year-old remaining just days away from colliding with Jaron Ennis in a unification showdown, one can only tip their hat to the previously little-known Lithuanian who has, quite simply, done it the hard way.
“From day one, when I came to America to fight professionally, I’ve been an underdog,” Stanionis told Boxing News. “It’s a good pressure because, when people don’t believe in you, you have to prove them wrong.
“I knew when I came to America that if I lost even one fight, I’d have to pack my bags and go home. I didn’t want that to happen; I wanted to achieve something.
“As a kid, I always doubted myself. So now, this fight [against Ennis] is very important, not just for my country and fans but for me.”
That feeling of being the underdog seems to always get the best out of Stanionis, almost as if he was made to play that role both in and out of the ring.
And despite being a champion, it is his opponent, IBF titlist Ennis, 33-0 (29 KOs), who is considered by many to be a sizable favourite heading into their clash at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, this Saturday.
But still, Stanionis will have an entire nation behind him, like he has throughout his career, before, and hopefully after, he steps through the ropes.
That level of support became particularly clear when, after claiming his WBA strap with a split decision victory over Radzhab Butaev back in 2022, the newly-crowned champ returned home to what was nothing short of a hero’s welcome.
“We all know each other [in Kaunas, his hometown],” Stanionis said. “Everybody wanted to get a picture with me, so it was nice to come back and basically be a hero of the town.
“It’s also nice to inspire the younger generation, and show them that anything is possible with hard work.”
More than anything, Stanionis’ ambition to achieve greatness is what makes him the most formidable opponent Ennis has shared the ring with.
But it was only after he made the transition from MMA to boxing that he knew what it would take to realise his dreams.
“I started in MMA when I was eight years old,” he said. “My mum took me to the gym and said: ‘The boy needs to know how to protect himself.’
“Then at the age of 13, my mum’s friend took me to the boxing gym because, in MMA, it was easy [for me] – I was winning all the time.
“But when I started boxing, I got my ass kicked. So I think that gave me a drive to be better, and reach a higher level.”
