Rising contender Eimantas Stanionis takes on former world champion Luis Collazo square off at The Armory in Minneapolis, MN on Saturday August 7, which makes it Sunday August 8 in the UK and Australia. The bout is scheduled for ten rounds at welterweight.
Two days before the showdown the pair went face-to-face at a press conference to preview their matchup, that headlines PBC Fight Night live on FOX and live stream on FITE TV. Check out below what they had to say.
Eimantas Stanionis: I want to show that I can compete with any of the top guys
“I’m very excited to fight here. I fought in Minneapolis in 2019 and the fans are great here. They love a good show. I want to thank the whole PBC family for this opportunity against a great fighter in Luis Collazo.
“Collazo has faced the top guys and he likes to fight fire with fire like I do. I am prepared for an action-packed fight.
“I got confidence from my last fight knowing that I can go 12 hard rounds. I got tested in that fight against Thomas Dulorme, but I think it was my worst night. I was not at my best. This time I’m 100% prepared and ready to go.
“I just have to win and keep winning. I want to get to the world title shot. Lithuania has never had a pro world champion and I want to make history. I have great competition on Saturday and I want to show that I can compete with any of the top guys.
“I think I deserve the title shot if I win on Saturday. I’m ranked high by the WBA and I’m going to be in position to fight the best sooner rather than later.
“I think I can compete with the top guys right now. When you go into the ring, it doesn’t matter who the favorite is. I like to give 100% of my heart into the ring. This is an entertainment sport and we’re entertainers. That’s my mentality coming into the fight.”
Luis Collazo: Once that bell rings, everything can change real quick
“I can’t wait for Saturday night. It’s been a long road and I’m just eager to step back in the ring and do what I do best on fight night.
“This is going to be my last fight on Saturday night. The sport is overwhelming in many ways and sometimes it’s hard to enjoy it. Even saying that, I’m bringing everything I’ve got on Saturday. I’m going to leave my mark once again.
“Right now the only thing he has on me is age. Age doesn’t matter though, when you fight and stay in the gym like I do. That’s what I do for a living. I’ve been consistent and there’s no excuses coming into this fight.
“You can’t compare one fighter to another really. It doesn’t matter if they have similar styles. You have to prepare for each guy to the best of your abilities. Once that bell rings, everything can change real quick.”
Get the full Stanionis vs Collazo fight card.
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