NEWS: VERGIL ORTIZ 'EXCITED' FOR 'TOUGHEST TEST' IN EIMANTAS STANIONIS

By: Jay Calderon

Recently, it was announced that Golden Boy Promotions won a purse bid for Vergil Ortiz' bout with fringe champion Eimantas Stanionis, with the winner eventually in line for a shot at the full WBA title at 147 pounds, currently possessed by the undefeated Errol Spence.

Ortiz has been looking for those big fights at Welterweight and was excited when he got the news that he would be face the fellow unbeaten slugger in Stanionis, 14-0 with 9 KOs and 1 no contest.

Initially, the Golden Boy fighter Ortiz believed the fight would be harder to make, with Stanionis under a rival promotional banner in TGB Promotions, who were outbid for the fight $2.3 million to $2.1 million. However, Ortiz is optimistic the fight will be finalized.

"I was really excited (when my team won the purse bid), because I thought it would have been harder to make due to the promotions (involved). But I'm really excited that Golden Boy won the bid, and I'm very hopeful that this fight is going to happen," Ortiz told FightHubTV's Marcos Villegas.

Naturally, Ortiz is thrilled to be on the verge of the biggest fight of his young career, he also realizes it will be the toughest encounter. However, Ortiz explained, that's what motivates him as a professional.

"...We are each other's toughest tests. It's the fights like this that excite me, that give me that extra drive in the gym to work harder. I know he's working hard as I am. I'm honestly genuinely excited for this one," said Ortiz, 19-0 with 19 KOs.

"...I definitely want these big fights, that's why I'm here. I'm glad I'm in the toughest division in boxing, I wouldn't have it any other way. If I won a world title and it was -- I don't want to say easy, but if it was (easier for me), it really wouldn't mean a whole lot to me..."

Truthfully, this is the best fight that's been made at Welterweight in the last few years that doesn't involve titlists Spence or Terence Crawford. And with the winner either getting a shot to face Spence or to vie for the vacant title provided Spence opts to move up to 154 pounds, it could be the beginning of a youth movement at 147 pounds.

While no date has been announced for Stanionis-Ortiz, the bout is expected to be staged in the first half of the new year.

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