Prospect vs. Veteran and a “Goodbye”

Published

4 years ago

August 9, 2021

Ted Sares

Prospect vs. Veteran and a “Goodbye”

Eimantas Stanionis, a highly decorated amateur from Kaunas, Lithuania possesses a stalking style not unlike a larger version of Gervonta Davis featuring heavy-handed hooks and uppercuts. His jab is strong and snappy as well. His defense, a modernized version of the peek-a-boo, is outstanding.

Stanionis, whose U.S. base is in Oxnard, California, brought a 13-0 (9) into his match this past Saturday night against Luis Collazo (39-8, 20) in Minneapolis. He was coming off a 12-round UD over once touted Thomas Dulorme in April.

Long story short — this likable Lithuanian welterweight is a solid prospect and soon-to-be a genuine contender.

Luis Collazo

This gritty Brooklynite held the WBA (regular) welterweight title from 2005 to 2006. He enjoys enormous popularity among his New York City fans and rival boxers. Paulie Malignaggi once said he would fight anyone except his friend Luis Collazo.

Collazo’s fight with Andre Berto in January 2009 was extremely close, and when he fought Keith Thurman in 2015, he exposed Thurman’s susceptibility to body shots. However, it was against Ricky Hatton in 2006 that he really showed his mettle. Collazo lost his title to the “Hitman,” but gave Hatton all he could handle and even rocked and wobbled him at the end.

Against Stanionis, themes could have emerged that had Collazo winning and ending his career on a high note, or losing but going out a proud, albeit grizzled, warrior who had frightened many an opponent along the way.

Against the Lithuanian, a feel-good ending was not in the offing. Young Stanionis was mostly having his way with the former world champion fighting at close range and exchanging shots at a non-stop pace. Then, out of the blue, the fight ended in the fourth round due to an accidental headbutt that left Collazo unable to continue. By rule, since the fight did not go four full rounds, it was a NO DECISION.

“He was coming into me and I wanted to show that I’m strong too and I could fight him off…It didn’t feel like a big collision, but it must have been worse for him.” — Stanionis.

This was the same thing that had happened to Luis in his very last fight against Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (18-0) except it occurred in the 10th round, thus allowing a win for the fighter from Uzbekistan who is known for his headbutting propensities.

Luis (pictured below) resembles Philly’s Gabe Rosado with his tattoos and especially with his penchant for cuts. However, Rosado’s stunning KO of Bektemir Melikuziev this past June ensures more fights and paydays are on the way for him. Sadly, no such assurance can be given to Luis Collazo, now 40 years old, who had indicated before the match that this would likely be his final fight.

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