Lithuania’s Eimantis Stanionis hopes to put two years of inactivity in the rear-view mirror when he returns against Gabriel Maestre on Saturday.

The former amateur rivals meet on the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Jaime Munguia bill at T-Mobile in Las Vegas for Stanionis’ WBA regular welterweight title.

Given his absence from the ring, it is little wonder that Stanionis is excited to be back. 

“Amazing,” he said when asked how he was feeling ahead of his return. “It is really good to be back, because it has been a long, long time. Nothing can be better.”

But despite appearing on a big bill in Vegas – and underneath Canelo, no less – Stanionis has his own dreams, and they include a homecoming in Lithuania.

He has boxed exclusively in the U.S. since turning over in 2017, and although he is not looking beyond Venezuela’s Maestre, whom Staniosis defeated in the amateurs, he wants to box in front of his own fans.

“That is the dream,” Staniosis admitted. “We have an arena in my hometown that holds about 18,000 people. I can guarantee you we can fill that up ASAP. I can sell the tickets in 24 hours because we do not have boxing events here, especially professional ones.

“If I were to fight there, there would be a big crowd, and it is my dream to do that before I retire. [It would be in the] Žalgiris Arena [located in Kaunas, the capital]. Our No. 1 sport here is basketball, and it is the No. 1 arena in the country.

“People are always watching my fights and waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning. These are some of the things my fans have to do to watch my fights. I am very thankful for everyone who supports me, despite the periods of inactivity.

“Every day, people were asking what was going on and why I was not fighting. It was very hard to answer these questions because I was always ready, but things happened. Everyone is excited that I have a fight date and will see me back in the ring. I’m very excited, too.”

Stanionis, at 5-foot-8, played basketball outside regularly as a child in the summer, specializing in 3-pointers.  

“I’m too short for that,” he said, laughing, about his inability to dunk a basketball.

Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs) ended in a no-contest with veteran New Yorker Luis Collazo after an early head clash caused the premature finish of their 2021 fight. In his previous bout two years ago, he won a split decision over Russia’s Radzhab Butaev on the Errol Spence-Yordenis Ugas bill in Arlington, Texas.

“I will fight anywhere in the world, especially in the UAE and London,” said Stanionis of his future plans.

“I hear London is a big boxing place, with lots of good boxing fans. But let’s be honest, the mecca of boxing is still the USA.”

There is an Englishman who would like to fight Stanionis and who is on the Lithuanian’s radar, and that’s Conor Benn. 

Benn has been unable to fight in the U.K. since two failed tests for PEDs almost two years ago. He has since fought in Florida and Las Vegas.

“Yeah, he is a good fighter, but he can't fight in the U.K. anymore,” Stanionis said. “I don't know what's going on with him. The things which he has done are not good and needs some clarification into his position.

“If the opportunity comes to fight him, I’m sure we will have talks and see how things go from there.”

Staniosis also wants to add titles to his collection. With Terence Crawford – the WBA super champion – moving up, there is likely going to be plenty to play for in the coming months.

“Of course [I want unification], but I already have a title,” Stanionis said. “I really will fight anyone out there. Unifications are very big things to experience, and I am on the right path to go down that route to them fights happen.

“A lot of guys have come from 140 and into 147, so things are starting to heat up once again. It’s amazing to have lots of opportunities and to make big fights with the right dance partner.

“It does feel like a dream – I am not going to lie. I am from a small country, so going to the United States and getting my name out there to fight for titles and winning the titles cannot get much better. 

“Now I am fighting on a Canelo card in Las Vegas during Cinco De Mayo. It is like a dream come true.”

Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a Board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and The Ring of Brotherhood. He is a former boxing broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular Boxing Life Stories podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, is on The Ring ratings panel and the author of five boxing books, including Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing, Warrior: A Champion’s Search For His Identity and The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxings’ Wastelands.