Eimantas Stanionis vs Jabulani Makhense Preview September 27th, 2025
Former WBA Welterweight Champion Eimantas Stanionis of Lithuania will be fighting in his homeland this Saturday, September 27th when he takes on Jabulani Makhense of Pretoria, South Africa in a 10-round junior middleweight tilt. Stanionis won the WBA Belt via a split decision over Radzhab Butaev in April, 2022 and didn’t fight again until May, 2024 when he beat Gabriel Maestre via unanimous decision in his first defence. He then lost the title to Jaron Ennis this April when he was stopped after the sixth round for his lone defeat as a pro. Ennis was the IBF Welterweight Boss at the time in the unification bout. Makhense last stepped into the ring in June when he halted Charles Misanjo in the first round.
Stanionis vs Makhense Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Jabulani Makhense +825
- Eimantas Stanionis -2000
My Pick
Stanionis is 31 years old and is quite aggressive with better-than-average power in his punches. He also has a fine record as he enters the contest at 15-1 with 9 Ko’s He made his pro debut in 2017 and has boxed 104 rounds since then. He has decent power as 60 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage but he has gone five fights now without halting an opponent. Stanionis measures 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 68-inch reach.
He enjoyed a fine amateur career as he boxed at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he went 1-1. Stanionis has fought his entire pro career in America so this is his homecoming fight. His his best wins have come against Radzhab Butaev by split decision and Thomas Dulorme by 12-round unanimous decision in 2021. Stanionis also fought fought Luis Collazo in 2021 with the bout being called a no-contest in the fourth round after Collazo suffered an accidental head butt.
Makhense is 32 years old and enters the ring with a mark of 16-2 with 8 Ko’s and has boxed 111 rounds since making his pro debut in 2016 after his amateur career. He stands 5-feet-11-inches tall with a 75-inch reach for a three-inch edge in height over Stanionis as well as seven inches in reach. He has average power as 50 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage and he’s halted four of his last 12 opponents.
The first pro defeat suffered by Makhense came at the hands of Tulani Mbenge in 2021 when he was topped in the third round. He also dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Vitaly Petryakov in 2023. Makhense captured the IBF African Junior Welterweight Title in 2019 with a 12-round majority decision over Marios Matamba. In his next bout he added the vacant African Welterweight Belt when he stopped Eric Kapia Mukadi. This will be Makhense’s first fight against a top contender.
Prediction…
Stanionis is a solid boxer but isn’t spectacular but tops Makhense when it comes to power even though he gives up a lot in size. He’ll definitely be motivated though as this is his pro debut in his homeland of Lithuania. Makhense should have his moments here and could win a few rounds but I’m expecting Stanionis to leave the ring with a W on his record.
Stanionis’ experience and power should be the difference.
Play Stanionis -2000 @ BetOnline.ag
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Eimantas Stanionis betting • Jabulani Makhense betting