The eagerly awaited showdown between the undefeated knockout artist Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (19-0, 19 KOs) from Grand Prairie, Texas, and the reigning World Champion Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs) hailing from Kaunas, Lithuania, has been rescheduled. The new date has been confirmed for the bout, where Stanionis will put his WBA "regular" welterweight title on the line.
Following its initial schedule for April 29, the highly anticipated bout was unfortunately postponed due to a rhabdomyolysis flare-up experienced by Ortiz, Jr., attributed to the effects of long COVID. However, fans can rejoice as the rescheduled 12-round championship clash is now set to happen on July 8. The prestigious AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, will serve as the venue for this electrifying showdown. To ensure global access, the fight will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, reaching fans around the world.
Originally, the fight was set for March 18, but it was pushed back when Stanionis was hospitalized and forced to undergo appendectomy surgery.
Stanionis, representing Lithuania, secured the secondary WBA welterweight title in a grueling and closely contested bout against Radzhab Butaev. The intense twelve-round clash unfolded on April 16 at the renowned AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which serves as the home venue for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. The hard-fought victory marked a significant achievement for Stanionis, solidifying his position as a formidable force in the welterweight division.
In September of the previous year, Ortiz actively campaigned for the enforcement of his mandatory title status. The WBA responded by providing an assurance that negotiations would commence if Stanionis failed to secure a voluntary defense before November 16. This demonstrated Ortiz's determination to pursue his rightful shot at the title and added an extra layer of anticipation to the impending clash between the two fighters.
Unfortunately, the teams representing Ortiz and Stanionis were unable to come to an agreement before the deadline, leading to a purse bid hearing on December 12. In this process, different promotional companies submit bids to secure the rights to promote the anticipated welterweight clash. In this case, Golden Boy Promotions emerged as the successful bidder, offering $2,300,000, surpassing TGB Promotions' bid of $2,100,010. This outcome meant that Golden Boy Promotions acquired the promotional rights for the highly anticipated fight, heightening expectations for the upcoming showdown.
In theory, the winner of the bout between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Eimantas Stanionis is expected to earn a shot at the WBA 'Super' title, which is currently held by Errol Spence Jr. (28-0, 22KOs). Spence Jr. not only holds the WBA 'Super' title but also possesses the IBF and WBC titles in the welterweight division. Consequently, a victory over Ortiz or Stanionis would potentially position the winner for a future opportunity to challenge Spence Jr. for his unified titles, making the stakes of the fight even higher.
