A fighting family

It was all a dream, as one famous rapper said. It began with the Ellis siblings and the friends of elder sibling, Ronald, holding boxing bouts in the basement of their home. 

“The first person was my older brother, Ronald. Him and his friends used to always talk about boxing,” Rashidi Ellis said. “They boxed in the basement. We didn’t have boxing gloves. We used mittens. I fell in love with boxing and I wanted to get better.”

The group included Rashidi, Rashidi’s younger sister by two years. 

“Me and my little sister, Rashidi, went to the gym and I haven’t stopped since then,” Rashidi said. “We started boxing in the basement when I was 10, and I started boxing when I was 12.”

The Ellis’ developed into a family of boxers, with Ronald, 32, becoming a super middleweight contender, and Rashidi, 26, a 2020 Olympian. 

Rashidi went 60-11 as an amateur, winning Silver Medal at the Independent Cup in The Dominican Republic, where he lost a close bout to 2012 Olympic gold medalist Roniel Iglesias.

Ellis won the 2012 National Police Athletic League championships, is a three-time New England Golden Gloves champion, and a Rocky Marciano titleholder. 

“We’re all different with our own styles,” said Rashidi, who also played football for Lynn Tech and participated in karate. “I admired a lot of fighters, but the ones who stick out are Roy Jones and Prince Naseem Hamed. They made it seem like a lot of fun.”

A “Speedy” start

Ellis followed a four-round unanimous decision over Josh Beeman in his July 2013 professional debut with consecutive first-round TKOs of Aguilando Brandao (September) and Oscar Diaz (November)

“Speedy” went a remarkable 10-0 (8 KOs) in 2014 during which he fought twice each in March, June and July. Fighting at weights ranging from 144-to-154 pounds, Ellis improved to 13-0 (10 KOs).

“I belong in the welterweight division, but I also felt great at 154,” said Ellis following his fifth-round TKO of Joseph De los Santos at 154 pounds in November 2014. “De los Santos was strong. He came very well prepared, but I also took advantage of my speed.”

Ellis stopped Victor Gonzalez by fourth-round TKO in March 2015, and, in 2016, won eight-round unanimous decisions over Marco Antonio Lopez (May) and Luis Hernandez (July) followed by a 79-second stoppage of Eddie Gomez (December).

Gomez was floored twice during a huge victory for Ellis.

“It’s been a long time since I was able to get a knock out in the first round. I told my team I was going to win and I entered with confidence,” Ellis said. “When I landed that first jab, I felt an urgency. I could see it in his eyes that he knew I was going to win. I feel like I can take anyone.”

Ellis’ 10-round majority decision over John Karl Sosa (April) in 2017 preceded a 2018 comprising a fourth-round TKOs of Fidel Monterrosa Munoz (March), a 10-round unanimous decision over Alberto Mosquera (June) and a seventh-round TKO of Saul Corral (October).

A 10-round unanimous decision in a November 2019 rematch with Gomez raised Ellis’ record to 22-0 (14 KOs), setting him up for his most impressive career victory - an October 2020 unanimous decision over hammer-fisted southpaw Alexis Rocha, who entered at 16-0 (10 KOs). 

A New Beginning

Following a long ring absence, Ellis is now part of the Premier Boxing Champions family. 

“It’s like a breath of fresh air. I finally get to get back into the groove and do what I like to do. It was very frustrating, especially being in the gym and not knowing when you were going to fight next. I want the best in the welterweight division,” said Ellis, who lists the winner of an April 16 clash between IBF/WBC champion Errol Spence and WBA counterpart Yordenis Ugas among his targets. 

“I would like to fight the winner between Errol Spence and Yordenis Ugas, and then, I’d like to fight [WBO 147-pound champion] Terence Crawford and get that belt. Then I’d move up to 154 and fight the winner [of a May 14 clash] between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano. I’m hoping to return in June or July. I just need to keep on winning and to look good doing it. I’m ready to get into the mix with the big dogs.”