"I Fall into Depression" – Stanionis on Life Without Training

WBA welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis has opened up about the emotional toll of time away from boxing and the role training plays in his mental health. Between 2022 and 2024, Stanionis endured a long layoff due to multiple cancellations of his fight with Vergil Ortiz.

“When I’m not in training camp, I start losing it. I fall into depression. One day I’m happy, and the next, there’s chaos in my head — some demons.

But when I’m in camp, I’m locked in. I love training.”

Stanionis admits the grind comes with sacrifices:

“Of course, I don’t like being away from my family. It’s tough. But these are the sacrifices we make for this sport.

This is my first love. I grew up with boxing. I don’t want to sit around doing nothing. I’m always training. It’s my life.”

He speaks with raw honesty about self-doubt and pressure:

“We’re all human. We all have flaws. We all make mistakes. I try not to overthink things — because when you step into that ring, everything can change.

I’m going in there to enjoy it. Training camp is the hardest part. The fight is the fun part, and I can’t wait.”

“I’ve always doubted whether I could become a world champion. That was my first dream. But I love competition — I need it.

That’s when you show your real character, who you are as an athlete. I don’t want easy fights. I want tough wars. I want to see where I really stand. And that’s up to me.”

Stanionis is aware of the challenge ahead — and the setting:

“I know I’m fighting on Ennis’ turf, and the crowd will be against me. But I’m ready. No one can break me. Mentally, I’m in a good place.”

Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis goes down on April 12 in the USA. Full statistical breakdown of the fight is available at the link.