It’s unification time, boxing fans! This Saturday, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, two welterweight world champions will go head-to-head to determine supremacy at 147 pounds. American Jaron Ennis, holder of the IBF title, will face Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis, the WBA champion, in the main event of a Matchroom Boxing card.
Jaron Ennis: Doomed to Dominate
When a fighter wins the vast majority of his bouts with effortless ease, dispatching seasoned opponents as if they were amateurs, expectations skyrocket. But there’s a flip side: that fighter becomes “doomed” to dominate at all times, and even a clear, convincing win can be criticized if he doesn’t win every round or looks a touch less sharp than usual. That’s what’s happening to Ennis, who came under fire after his last performance against the rock-solid Ukrainian Karen Chukhadzhian. Ennis won by unanimous decision, but the struggles he encountered in the second half of the bout led many to question his greatness (click here to read our take on that fight). So this Saturday, expect many to scrutinize “Boots” with a magnifying glass, looking for even the smallest flaw.
Eimantas Stanionis: A Lithuanian Miguel Cotto?
There are some striking similarities between the WBA champ and the Puerto Rican great. Like Cotto, Stanionis loves to inflict damage with his left hand despite fighting in an orthodox stance. Their overall approach, body attack consistency, and tactical versatility are also alike. Compared to “Junito,” Stanionis might lack a bit in raw power—despite good natural explosiveness, he tends to fade as rounds go by and becomes less dangerous in the second half of fights. On the other hand, he seems more durable than Cotto, who at times showed vulnerability to heavy hitters. Still, it might be a bit early to draw strong conclusions. Stanionis hasn’t yet faced enough dangerous opponents to thoroughly test his chin, but the way he handled the aggressive Russian Radzhab Butaev suggests the 30-year-old from Kaunas is hard to break down.
Ennis vs Stanionis: What Will Happen? Boxe Punch’s Prediction!
Boxing history teaches us that the transitive property doesn’t apply to this sport, and how two fighters perform against the same opponent can only tell us so much. That said, the stark contrast in how Ennis and Stanionis defeated Puerto Rican Thomas Dulorme is hard to ignore.
Stanionis struggled early and only took control after the midway point, winning clearly but never coming close to a stoppage. Ennis, on the other hand, obliterated Dulorme in under two minutes, dropping him twice and forcing an early stoppage.
Ennis seems to have the clear edge in power, explosiveness, and killer instinct. After a possible feeling-out round or two, expect the American to shine in mid-ring exchanges with faster hands and more effective shots.
We’ve seen Chukhadzhian absorb Ennis’ power for 24 rounds, and it’s possible Stanionis can do the same. If his chin holds up, and with his solid defense, he may make it into the second half of the fight intact.
In the past, Ennis has shown some frustration when his best shots couldn’t end fights early. If Stanionis withstands the storm and keeps pressing, “Boots” might get careless and leave openings.
However, as we’ve noted, Stanionis tends to lose steam as fights go on. He’s only scored two stoppages past the fourth round in his fifteen pro bouts. Even if he survives early, it’s unlikely he’ll have enough left to exploit any lapses from Ennis in the later rounds.
So here’s the feeling: Jaron Ennis will keep banking rounds, building his win brick by brick, confirming his status as one of the top fighters of the era and the leading candidate to fully unify the welterweight division.
A KO win for Ennis is absolutely plausible and could come at any moment—but personally, I’m betting on Stanionis’ tactical smarts, grit, and chin holding up just enough to go the distance.
Prediction: Jaron Ennis by wide unanimous decision.