Rashedi Ellis talks about argument with Boots Ennis

By Boxing News - 01/05/2023 - Comments

By Jack Tiernan: Rashedi Ellis and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis got into a brief heated discussion during Thursday’s final press conference ahead of their respective fights this Saturday night on Showtime PPV at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C.

When the star of the undercard, undefeated Boots Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs), was asked by Showtime if he’d be interested in fighting fringe welterweight contender Rashedi (24-0, 15 KOs) next, he said, “Let’s go.”

From there, there was some anger on Rashedi’s part, and the two went back & forth. There’s a possibility that we could see Boots face Ellis next if he can’t get a title shot against IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

If Spence vacates his IBF belt, Boots vs. Ellis is highly possible. Rashedi is fighting in an IBF 147-lb title eliminator this Saturday night against Roiman Villa (25-1, 24 KOs).

For his part, Boots Ennis is facing Karen Chukhadzhian (20-1, 11 KOs) for the interim IBF title, where the winner if supposedly guaranteed a title shot this year against Spence.

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis: “Let’s go,” said Jaron Ennis when asked by Brian Custer of Showtime if he could see a fight with Rashedi Ellis next if he’s victorious on Saturday night against Karen Chukhadzhian.

Rashedi Ellis: “Everyone knows what I want.”

Boots Ennis: “We already had this was supposed to be set up for this fight, and what happened?”

Rashedi: “It wasn’t paying.”

Boots Ennis: “I ain’t got to say nothing.”

Rashedi: “You could have got it tonight. Don’t play with me like that.”

Boots Ennis: “You’re not like that. You’re all bark. He all bark. He too moody. I got him already.”

“He got me at a hot moment. I was already mad at Villa for all the DMs and stuff,” said Rashedi to Fight Hub TV, when asked what happened between him and Jaron Ennis during today’s final press conference.

“I don’t know where you got the cap from. I never ran from a fighter in my life,” Rashedi said when told that Boots Ennis thinks he’s not serious about wanting to fight him.

“This is what I do. I don’t care who it is. I just got to win and make a statement,” Rashedi said when asked how he can get the Boots Ennis fight next. “I don’t look at stuff like that,” said Rashedi on why Jaron Ennis got in front of him in the line when he’s been a professional for longer.

“I’ve been inactive so many times in my career. So, I guess that’s part of it. I’m here now; I’m back now. I don’t know what happened,” Rashidi said when asked why he’s been so inactive. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Rashedi when told that his promoters at Golden Boy is the reason why he’s been inactive.

“I don’t know about turning down fights. I was trying to fight Matthysse when he was hot. I was trying to fight Sadam Ali. He was scared. He even blocked me on Instagram and stuff.

“I was trying to fight everybody, so I don’t know where that came from. I guess they didn’t want it. That was the time when Matthysse fought Pacquiao, so I don’t blame. I don’t blame him on that.

“I think there was another time we could have fought. It was a lot of different fights. The fights didn’t happen. I guess they wanted more money or something like that. I don’t know exactly what really happened.

“I don’t have to, as long as I get the victory. I can’t help it.  I like to show off. It’s going to happen anyway,” said Ellis when asked if he feels he has to be impressive against Villa to get the Boots Ennis fight next.

“I don’t want to keep talking about him [Boots Ennis]. He’s a good fighter. I never said he was a slouch,” said Rashedi.

YouTube video