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Eimantas Stanionis, Marvin Somodio, leave Texas with title

The fight was one of the support bouts to the Errol Spence - Yordenis Ugas world welterweight showdown at the massive AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.  

 

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Marvin Somodio
Marvin Somodio

It’s really easy to root for Los Angeles-based trainer Marvin Somodio. The friendly, somewhat soft-spoken, trainer and cornerman is well known for his work alongside legend Freddie Roach at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood, California.

 

This past Saturday night, April 16th, Somodio was in charge in the corner on this night as his fighter, undefeated Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KO’s) defeated fellow-unbeaten, Russia-born, California-residing welterweight Radzhab Butaev to capture the WBA world welterweight title.

 

The fight was one of the support bouts to the Errol Spence - Yordenis Ugas world welterweight showdown at the massive AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.  

 

Coming into the fight, Stanionis had been perfect in 13 outings with names like former world title challenger Thomas Dulorme and former world champion Luis Collazo on his resume.  

 

However, in facing Butaev, Stanionis was also facing an undefeated fighter (14-0, 11 KO’s) who had names like former world title challenger Alexander Besputin and former world champion Jamal James on his ledger.

 

In short, (on paper anyway), this was going to be a good fight. And, it was. In the end, the judges were split with one judge going to Butaev with a 114-113 call, while the other two judges saw it a more comfortable 117-110 and 116-111 for Stanionis.

 

Somodio has worked (assisting Roach) with Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Brian Villoria, Ruslan Provodnikov, Victor Postol, Jose Ramirez and Dennis Levedev, to name a few. But this past weekend he left Texas with his first world champion.  

 

After the fight, Somodio, clearly thrilled with his fighter’s effort, reached out to social media, and shared a few thoughts.

 

“A lot of blood, sweat and tears, and all those sacrifices. Eimantas Stanionis made history for Lithuania after becoming the first boxing world champion. I want to thank (cutman) Mike Rodriguez who did a great job and Eimantas’ Lithuanian coach Vidas Bruzas. I want to thank my mentor, Freddie Roach, and The Wildcard Boxing Club. After 10 years I can finally say I have my own world champion”, he said.

 

MaxBoxing caught up with the busy trainer from his home in Los Angeles, as he enjoyed a short break with his family before departing for a fight card later in the week in Palm Springs, to get his thoughts on the big win.

 

“I knew it would be a difficult fight” he said. “But, Eimantas was ready and well prepared for anything”, he said. “I was surprised at the beginning as I thought Butaev would try and bully him a bit at the beginning, but Eimantas took control very early and showed he was ready for him”.  

 

Commenting on the chemistry between the fighter and trainer, Stanionis is with the man he feels comfortable with.

 

“Eimantas had trained here before at the Wildcard, for about 5 or 6 fights, I think. But, then he went out to Texas and was training out there but couldn’t get the sparring he wanted and he didn’t seem happy out there. So, he called me and said he wanted me to train him. He told me that he felt I was the right guy for him. I had to think about it as it is a big commitment and I have to be 100% committed to him, give him 100% of my attention. But, I accepted and we started working together”, he said.

 

As to what is next (in a very loaded welterweight division)?

 

“Well, he is the mandatory for the WBA welterweight super champion as he stepped aside for the Ugas fight with Spence. But, the big fights have to be made, and that is good. You know Spence-Crawford, fights like that. But, he is only 27, only has 14 fights. He is going to improve and get better and better and his time will come in the big fights”, he said.

 

For now, time to enjoy family and a world title win.

 

“I was a little nervous when they announced the 114-113 score”, said Somodio with a laugh. “This is boxing, you never know what the judges will see”, he said. “But, Eimantas fought very well, he was in control, and I knew in my heart he had won the fight, but you can’t celebrate until you hear the official announcement”, he said. “But I am very, very happy”.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

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