Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis became a new WBA (Regular) welterweight champion when he challenged Radzhab Butaev at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday April 16, which made it Sunday April 17 in the UK and Australia. The pair squared off on the top of Spence vs Ugas undercard headlining the two-fight Showtime Championship Boxing lineup.
After twelve rounds of action two judges scored the fight 116-111 and 117-110 in favor of Stanionis, while one judge gave it 114-113 to Butaev, who at the end of Round 11 got a point deducted for pushing his opponent down when in clinch and punching. As a result the Kaunas-born boxer took the win by split decision.
#ButaevStanionis can crack ??
Watch LIVE now on @Showtime & YT: https://t.co/oUH56ksCIY pic.twitter.com/JqsfvNehMK
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) April 17, 2022
.@ButaevR and @E_Stanionis are throwing down ?
Watch the final few rounds of #ButaevStanionis ?? https://t.co/uTpsyNXgCT pic.twitter.com/HhxTAyUtQh
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) April 17, 2022
With the victory 27-year-old former Olympian from Lithuania, Stanionis becomes a new titleholder, improves to 14-0, 9 KOs and remains undefeated. Dethroned 28-year-old Russian, Butaev losses the belt, drops to 14-1, 11 KOs and suffers the first defeat in his professional boxing career.
Well that was fun ?@E_Stanionis scores the split decision win over Butaev in an all-action thriller to claim the WBA welterweight title.#ButaevStanionis pic.twitter.com/2QXSHAaEoh
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) April 17, 2022
Boxing fans can watch Errol Spence Jr vs Yordenis Ugas live on pay-per-view on Showtime in the United States, Kayo in Australia and FITE TV in the United Kingdom and other countries.
Get Spence vs Ugas full fight card results and updates.
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