Via Sean Jones: WBA welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis reportedly had an emergency appendectomy, leading to his March 18 title defense against Vergil Ortiz Jr being postponed until possibly May. Fourth, if not later.
Dan Rafael was reporting the news of the Stanionis medical emergency last Friday. There’s no word yet on what Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs) will do if Stanionis needs more time beyond April to return from his appendectomy.
Rafael did not disclose the cause of the injury problem. Was Stanionis punched in the throat during the fight, or did it happen on its own?
An attractive option would be for the Golden Boy to be promoted Vergil Jr, 24, to face Jaron ‘Shoes’ Ennis because he has the potential to be free, especially if he takes out rival Karen Chukhadzhian in three rounds tonight on Showtime PPV on the card Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia in Washington, DC
Despite all the hype, Ortiz Jr has yet to fight a boxer of this caliber in his seven-year professional career and this will be a great opportunity for him to prove that he is more than just a product. of gentle matchmaking by his intelligence. promoters at Golden Boy who have worked miracles with Ryan Garcia’s career, helping him to make huge sums of money in a match against Tank Davis without ever having played a B-rank opponent. .
NEWS: I just spoke to manager Shelly Finkel, who told me Eimantas Stanionis had an emergency appendectomy on Friday, forcing his “regular” WBA belt guard on March 18 before Vergil Ortiz had to postpone. They hope to reschedule in April. #Boxing
– Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) January 7, 2023
The winner of the match Stanionis vs. Ortiz Jr is said to be playing against champion Errol Spence Jr, but whether that will happen is still in doubt. Spence can vacate and head north to the 154 lb division for a belt in that untalented division.
This will be the right time for the World Boxing Association to downgrade the injured Stanionis to ‘Champion at Halftime’ and hang up the WBA belt to claim it in the match between Ortiz Jr and Boots Ennis, so that the title continue to be circulated.
Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman is ranked 3rd in the WBA, making him an ideal choice for Ortiz Jr to fight for the title. However, at this point it is unknown if the inactive Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) will face the next IBF, WBA & WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. Otherwise, Thurman would be a great choice.
With Thurman, you never know if he’s injured again or is too fat and too fat to drop all his payload in March for his battle with Ortiz.
