Rashidi Ellis (26-1, 17 KOs) isn’t waiting around for title shots to fall in his lap. On Saturday, June 21, the WBC US Silver Welterweight champ storms back into the Lowell Memorial Auditorium—his old Golden Gloves stomping grounds—to headline CES Boxing’s ‘Mill City Mayhem’ against Honduran tough guy Josec Ruiz (24-8-3, 17 KOs). The fight streams live on Swerve.TV.
Ellis, ranked #8 by the WBO, knows the current champs are dodging him. So he’s dragging his record and his power back home to send a clear message: stop ducking, or get flattened.
Homecoming for a Fighter Nobody Wants to Fight
Fighting in Lowell, where he started throwing hands at 16, is about closing the circle and opening new doors. After ten years fighting across the U.S., he’s back in front of fans who actually show up and cheer, not politics that slow everything down.
Ruiz has never been stopped. That’s the hook. Ellis doesn’t care.
“I’m planning on knocking him out,” he said, dead serious. “There’s a first time for everything.” Ruiz can eat punches for breakfast, but Ellis is banking on speed and angles to break the veteran down. That’s how he cooked Jose Angulo last time—made him miss, made him doubt, then made him quit with a busted ear.
Ellis keeps sharp by scrapping in one-round brawls with the Boston Butchers in the Team Combat League. It’s not pretty. It’s not polite. It’s damage control at full speed. “They’re one-round fights, but high intensity,” he said. “It keeps me sharp against good fighters.”
Oh, and his brother Ronald is in it too. So yeah, there’s blood in that violence.
Ruiz First—Then Ennis, Barrios, Norman Jr., and Villa
Rashidi’s got names on his mind. Jaron Ennis. Mario Barrios. Brian Norman Jr. They hold the belts. He holds the problem. “I have to give them no choice but to fight me,” he said, sick of the silence. “I’m getting punished for being good.”
And there’s one more name Ellis won’t drop: Roiman Villa. The only man to beat him. Rashidi reached out himself to get the rematch. Villa gave him the runaround. Rashidi’s response? “I plan to knock him out next time.”
But that’s next. First up: Lowell. Ruiz. And a reminder to anyone ranked above him that Rashidi Ellis isn’t going away. He’s getting louder, meaner, and more dangerous every round he fights.
Event Info:
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Date: Saturday, June 21
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Venue: Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA
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Broadcast: LIVE on Swerve.TV
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Tickets: Starting at $52 via CESFights.com or Lowell Auditorium website
All these dudes holding titles need to quit hiding behind excuses. If Rashidi calling y’all out then step up or give up the belts already! We want real fights not ducking champions 😠!
People act like Ruiz gonna be easy for Ellis but I don’t think so! Ruiz been in wars before and never got stopped so maybe Ellis bites off too much this time 🥊.
They always do this to fighters who come from tough places and work hard. Rashidi fights everywhere, keeps winning, still no big fights? That ain’t right at all. He should get a shot next!
I think it’s dumb how champs avoid fighting real threats like Rashidi Ellis. How are fans supposed to enjoy boxing when all the top fighters are scared to throw hands? 😤 Fight him already!
This guy Ellis talking big but we gonna see if he can really knock out Ruiz like he say. Cause talk don’t mean nothing if you can’t back it up in the ring 🤷♂️.
If Rashidi is so good like everyone say, then why ain’t he got more belts already? He gotta stop blaming others and just win fights, even if they not big names. That’s how it go sometimes.
I don’t get why people keep acting like Ellis ain’t all that. The man got hands and he keeps winning, but no one wanna fight him cause they scared of losing. If you a champ, fight the best 💪.
Exactly! They keep ducking him cause they know he too fast and hits hard. Ruiz better be ready cause this might be his first time getting knocked out.
That’s what I been saying too! Rashidi is being avoided just cause he’s good. Ain’t fair how boxing works now. Just politics and hiding 🥱.