Eimantas Stanionis ended two years of frustration to retain his WBA welterweight title by earning a unanimous decision over Gabriel Maestre on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Stanionis last fought when earning a split decision over Radzhab Butaev in April 2022, since when the cancellation of a high-profile title defense scheduled against Vergil Ortiz Jr. has contributed to an extended period of inactivity when, at 29, he is perhaps in his prime.
David Benavidez vs Andy Ruiz Jr?! Jose Benavidez Sr. REVEALS Huge Fight Plans
David Benavidez has no shortage of HUGE fights on his radar. In an exclusive interview with BoxingScene, Jose Benavidez Sr. makes it clear that David still wants the biggest names at 175lbs including Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Benavidez has previously said those are two fights he wants to make as he pursues more titles and major challenges. But there’s another name that could make things very interesting: Andy Ruiz Jr. Jose discusses the possibility of an all-Mexican showdown between Benavidez and the former heavyweight champion, along with David’s plans across multiple divisions. And with a potential Jai Opetaia showdown also building after the pair came face-to-face following Opetaia’s latest victory, Benavidez has some massive options ahead.
Lithuania's Stanionis was so convincing a winner that, of the scores of 117-111, 118-110 and 119-109 that were awarded in his favor, the third seemed the most accurate.
Maestre, 37, hurt Stanionis with a strong left hand in the opening round, but in so doing he provoked the champion to immediately fight with increased aggression, and to build a convincing lead.
If they traded, the sharper, stronger Stanionis had greater success. When they didn’t, his superior punch accuracy meant that he continued to largely dictate the pace at which they fought and to remain in front.
As early as the fourth, Maestre looked at risk of being stopped, but he mostly continued to fight with intent – even if not effectively – to justify his ongoing participation.
When they fought at the AIBA world championships in Qatar in 2015, Stanionis earned a unanimous decision. A rematch didn’t occur at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, when Maestre, of Venezuela, hoped that it would, and it became increasingly clear that the rematch he had long sought had come too late.
Stanionis hurt Maestre again in the ninth round with a left hand, and then when he was trapped towards the ropes succeeded to the body. Another left hand then snapped back Maestre’s head and further slowed him down, but Stanionis remains short of power at world level and, while jabbing convincingly and with authority, rarely again appeared likely to break Maestre down.
Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr. – also on the undercard of the undisputed super middleweight title fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jaime Munguia – had by then become the first to stop Johan Gonzalez, doing so in the ninth round of their junior middleweight contest.
Vito Mielnicki Jr., also at junior middleweight, earned scores of 99-89, 98-90 and 96-92 over Ronald Cruz, having knocked Cruz down in the third and fourth rounds.
At super middleweight, William Scull was awarded a unanimous decision over Sean Hemphill via scores of 78-73, 76-75 and 79-72.
There were also unanimous decisions for Julian Bridges, Lawrence King and Adrian Torres over their respective six-round fights with Jabin Chollet, Anthony Holloway and Arsen Poghosyan. At junior featherweight, Alan Picasso Romero stopped Damien Vazquez in the fifth of eight rounds.
