Jaron Ennis: Rashidi Ellis A Good Fighter, Villa A Good Fighter, But I’m Not Ellis

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – Jaron Ennis doesn’t assume Roiman Villa fairly understands that much more separates him from Rashidi Ellis than a letter of their final names.

Villa produced probably the most noteworthy win of his profession when he upset Ellis by majority resolution six months in the past. The assured Venezuelan veteran insisted on difficult Ennis subsequent, however Ennis is closely favored to beat the hard-hitting contender of their 12-round battle for Ennis’ IBF interim welterweight title Saturday evening at Boardwalk Corridor’s Adrian Phillips Theater.

“I truthfully assume he actually don’t know,” Ennis advised BoxingScene.com. “I’m not Ellis. You already know, Ellis an excellent fighter, Villa an excellent fighter, however I’m not Ellis. I feel I’mma give him all the pieces he lookin’ for on July eighth, on Saturday evening.”

Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) knocked Ellis down twice throughout the twelfth spherical and gained their battle on two scorecards January 7 at Capital One Area in Washington, D.C.

Ellis’ pace, ability and motion made issues tough for Villa throughout the first half of their bout, however Villa’s persistent stress ultimately wore down Ellis and led to the 2 knockdowns that emerged because the variations on the scorecards of judges Dave Braslow (114-112) and Paul Wallace (114-112). Decide Tammye Jenkins scored Villa-Ellis a draw (113-113).

The 30-year-old Ellis, of Lynn, Massachusetts, repeatedly spoke previous to his first skilled loss about boxing Ennis subsequent. The damaging Villa, nevertheless, has crushed undefeated fighters – Ellis (24-1, 15 KOs) and Janelson Bocachica (17-1-1, 11 KOs) – in back-to-back bouts.

“I don’t assume [Ellis] neglected Villa,” Ennis stated. “I feel he simply received slightly drained and gassed out slightly bit on the finish, towards the tip of the battle. However, I imply, like I stated earlier than, you gotta maintain your eyes on the prize. You gotta maintain your eyes on what’s in entrance of you. You possibly can’t fear concerning the subsequent battle. You already know, you gotta lock in on what’s in entrance of you.”

Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs, 1 NC) didn’t watch Villa-Ellis in its entirety as a result of he was warming up in his dressing room for the next battle on the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia undercard.

Ukrainian underdog Karen Chukhadzhian prolonged Ennis the 12-round distance that evening for the primary time in Ennis’ seven-year skilled profession. Chukhadzhian (22-2, 12 KOs) additionally ended Ennis’ 19-fight knockout streak, which has motivated Ennis much more to supply an explosive, memorable efficiency versus Villa.

“I really feel like this gonna be a legendary efficiency by me,” Ennis stated. “I really feel like I’m gonna beat him up, break him down, you understand, and get a knockout on the finish of the evening. You already know, I’m again to creating statements.”

Ennis-Villa will headline a three-bout broadcast scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. EDT (6:30 p.m. PDT).  

Cuban southpaw Yoelvis Gomez (6-0, 5 KOs) will meet Marquis Taylor (14-1-2, 1 KO), of Galena Park, Texas, in Showtime’s co-feature – a 10-round middleweight match. Lightweights Edwin De Los Santos (15-1, 14 KOs), a Dominican southpaw who resides in Studying, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Adorno (17-2-2, 14 KOs), of Allentown, Pennsylvania, are set to sq. off within the 10-round opener of Showtime’s telecast.

Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He will be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.