Mike Coppinger, ESPN
Following two postponements, Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Eimantas Stanionis will in any case meet on Saturday in San Antonio in a welterweight tournament that’s been in the works for well over a year. This battle is extremely expected, that includes two motion boxers at the cut checklist of emerging contenders taking a look to stake their declare in one in every of boxing’s most-popular categories.
Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, who will fight for the undisputed welterweight championship on July 29, get up lonely on the govern of the 147-pound heap. Spence is 33, week Crawford will flip 36 in September, and the pair of pound-for-pound boxers will nearly for sure scrap once more with a bidirectional rematch clause within the pledge. It’s additionally conceivable that the go back bout will tug playground at 154 kilos as each opponents have mentioned a progress to youth middleweight going forward.
Rounding out ESPN’s welterweight govern 5 is the person many have earmarked because the section’s day: Jaron Ennis. “Boots” has the glance of an elite ability, and he’s clamoring for a probability to turn out his talent degree in such a marquee battle that’s eluded him.
Ennis additionally fights Saturday, a PBC on Showtime primary match towards Venezuelan brawler Roiman Villa (Incorrect. 10 in ESPN ratings) in Atlantic Town, Untouched Jersey. Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) is coming off the most important win of his profession, an disappointed majority-decision victory over Rashidi Ellis in March. He’s as soon as once more an underdog this weekend, and a vital one at that (+700, in keeping with Caesars Sportsbook).
Ortiz and Stanionis have been i’m ready to battle on March 18 sooner than Stanionis underwent an crisis appendectomy week coaching in Lithuania. The battle was once rescheduled for April 29 sooner than Ortiz withdrew with a flare-up of rhabdomyolysis.
In step with the Facilities for Defect Regulate, rhabdomyolysis happens when broken muscular tissues releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood. Those components can harm the guts and kidneys and purpose everlasting incapacity or loss of life.
Ortiz advised ESPN he was once absolutely cleared in Would possibly nearest being handled by means of Dr. Juan Bautista in Fresno, California, who recognized him with lengthy COVID following a battery of assessments.
“I actually had a hunch that that’s what it was, but I didn’t know too much about it — I’m not a doctor,” Ortiz stated. “I’ve never felt this good in a good maybe three or four years…. I’m still training hard … that was never the problem…. I’m noticing that I’m not huffing and puffing, and I just feel great overall…. I can’t explain how good I feel compared to how I was.”
Now that Ortiz has gained a blank invoice of condition and this pivotal key welterweight matchup is on, who’s best-positioned to break in the throne from Spence and Crawford when they let go the section? Listed below are 5 welterweight champion hopefuls, starting with Ortiz, Stanionis and Ennis.
Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Generation: 25
Place of origin: Lavish Prairie, Texas
ESPN welterweight ratings: 3
Report: 19-0 (19 KOs)
Ortiz owns a one hundred pc knockout ratio, along with his perfect wins coming towards Maurice Hooker and Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas. Since that August 2021 victory over Kavaliauskas, Ortiz has competed best as soon as as he handled the lingering results of rhabdomyolysis.
Ortiz advised ESPN he believes the disorder is beneath regulate forward of the most important battle of his profession. Stanionis is a emerging famous person in his personal proper, a punishing frame puncher who’s displayed massive energy within the clinch.
Ortiz’s relentless power taste and talent to thread in combination robust mixtures were plethora to conquer all 19 of his fighters, however Stanionis is a degree or two above the residue.
If Ortiz too can dispense of Stanionis throughout the distance, he’ll let go slight confusion that he’s eager to tug at the likes of Spence and Crawford — if now not Ennis — within the greatest fights the section can deal.
“I’ve been so inactive, it’s depressing when you’re just at home and you feel like a bum and you know you should be out there…,” Ortiz stated. “I’m trying to show them that I’m here like I never left.”
Eimantas Stanionis
Generation: 28
Place of origin: Kaunas, Lithuania
ESPN welterweight ratings: 5
Report: 14-0 (5 KOs)
Educated by means of Corridor of Famer Freddie Roach, Stanionis has been itching for a weighty battle for once in a while.
A power fighter with a robust jab and a penchant for frame punching, Stanionis is coming off a career-best victory. He was once in a position to grind out Radzhab Butaev terminating April, however hasn’t competed since as he seemed to finalize the Ortiz battle.
Now, recovered from surgical procedure to take away his appendix in January, Stanionis is days clear of the most important battle of his pace. With a win over Ortiz — Stanionis is a +320 underdog — he can cement himself as an elite fighter in form to break in the section. And prefer Ortiz, Stanionis shall be stepping up a number of ranges in opposition. Butaev is an completed fighter, however Stanionis will have to turn out he can deal with the completing energy of Ortiz.
Now not a lot protection is predicted on this DAZN matchup between Ortiz, who fights for Yellowish Boy, and Stanionis, who has inspired on a order of PBC playing cards.
Stanionis was once prolonged the gap by means of Thomas Dulorme and plenty of alternative mediocre opponents week Ortiz wasn’t, possibly one reason why Stanionis is strangely one of these determined underdog.
Jaron Ennis
Generation: 26
Place of origin: Philadelphia, PA
ESPN welterweight ratings: 4
Report: 30-0 (27 KOs)
“Boots” Ennis is arguably this crew’s maximum proficient and looks as if a pound-for-pounder.
He can field off the again base, at the within and has displayed plethora of energy. His hand pace is remarkable, too, and there isn’t any evident defect. Now, Ennis wishes the dance companions to turn he’s in a position for the most productive.
Ennis completed off Sergey Lipinets within six rounds and Dulorme, who went the gap with Stanionis, in just one around. Custio Clayton lasted simply two rounds.
Ennis nonetheless must turn out he can take in a formidable punch and deal with grief. The ones query marks gained’t be responded till Ennis is examined towards an elite opponent. And Villa most probably gained’t handover any readability.
The Venezuelan is hard and will punch, however may now not have the boxing abilities to deal with Ennis. If “Boots” can deal with Villa as he did Lipinets, Clayton and Dulorme, his less-than-thrilling shutout victory over Karen Chukhadzhian in January shall be briefly forgotten.
Preferably, Ennis will to find himself in a battle towards the winner of Ortiz-Stanionis. Later all, they’re at the identical time table, too.
“I know Villa is a straightforward fighter and that’s tailor-made for me,” Ennis stated. “I’m going to win because I’ve been putting in the work, day in and day out. All my hard work will show on fight night. I’m ready to shine and make a big statement on July 8.”
Conor Benn
Generation: 26
Place of origin: Essex, United Kingdom
ESPN welterweight ratings: N/A
Report: 21-0 (14 KOs)
The son of British legend Nigel Benn, Conor seemed at the speedy observe to a name shot sooner than being mired in a doping controversy. Benn’s deliberate battle with Chris Eubank Jr. terminating October was once scrapped following an adversarial discovering for the prohibited substance clomiphene in Benn’s A pattern, and he continues to argue his case with U.Ok. Anti-Doping (UKAD).
Benn has maintained his innocence all alongside.
“We have never cut corners or cheated the grind in any way,” Benn stated in a remark absolved on social media in December. ” … It’s been really hard for me to accept that people think that I would do what I was accused of.”
Each time Benn does go back — he hasn’t competed since a KO 2 over Chris van Heerden in April 2022 — his explosive punching energy and famous person attraction within the U.Ok. must provide itself to extra weighty fights.
Alexis Rocha
Generation: 25
Place of origin: Irvine, California
ESPN welterweight ratings: 9
Report: 23-1 (15 KOs)
Rocha is the least confirmed of this bunch. Promoted by means of Oscar De L. a. Hoya, Rocha has inspired with a order of stirring knockout victories, however none have come towards world-class opposition.
Since a similar resolution defeat to Ellis in October 2020, Rocha has scored seven consecutive victories, along with his greatest win a ninth-round KO of Blair Cobbs terminating March.
Rocha must step up a number of ranges in school sooner than his ceiling is unclouded, however we already know his flooring: a worthy motion fighter. And that is going far on this game. He’s sturdy, sturdy and has confirmed his punching energy. He’s now not there to field and progress however plow ahead as a brawler.
Rocha makes a batch of sense as a day opponent for Ortiz since they’re each with Yellowish Boy, and he’s additionally in place for a shot on the WBO name recently held by means of Crawford.
