Rashidi Ellis Returns Home for Mill City Mayhem Showdown Against Josec Ruiz

The city of Lowell, Massachusetts—proud hometown of boxing legend Micky Ward—will come alive with the roar of the crowd and the crack of leather on Saturday, June 21, as WBC US Silver Welterweight Champion “Speedy” Rashidi Ellis (26-1, 17 KOs) headlines CES Boxing’s Mill City Mayhem at the historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium. The action will be broadcast live worldwide via Swerve.TV.

Tickets for Mill City Mayhem are available now through CES Fights and the Lowell Auditorium website, starting at $52. With seats filling fast, fans are encouraged to grab theirs early for an electric night of boxing.

For Ellis, this bout represents more than just another step toward a world title—it’s a homecoming. Now 32, the Lynn, Massachusetts native first fought at the Lowell venue as a 16-year-old Golden Gloves competitor.

“It feels like my career has come full circle,” said Ellis. “Sixteen years later, I’m back in the same building—but now I’m the main event.”

Since signing with CES Boxing, Ellis has returned to his roots in Massachusetts after a decade fighting across the U.S. Currently ranked #8 by the WBO, Ellis is eyeing a world title shot—and intends to make a statement in front of his hometown crowd.

Standing in his way is veteran contender Josec “The Scorpion” Ruiz (24-8-3, 17 KOs), a rugged Honduran fighter based in Miami known for his toughness. Remarkably, Ruiz has never been stopped in nearly 40 professional bouts—a challenge Ellis welcomes.

“I’m planning to knock him out,” said Ellis confidently. “He’s been in with tough opponents, but there’s a first time for everything.”

Ruiz has shared the ring with elite talent, including Albert Bell, Henry Lebron, and Gabe Flores Jr., going the distance with all of them. But Ellis believes his rare mix of speed and power will prove too much.

“Guys lose their confidence once they feel my speed and power,” Ellis said, referencing his recent seventh-round stoppage of Jose Angulo. “Angulo came to fight, but once I started countering him clean, he got gun shy. By the end, I was landing power shots at will.”

Angulo’s corner eventually halted the fight due to a ruptured eardrum after six rounds.

To stay sharp between bouts, Ellis has also re-signed with the Boston Butchers for the 2025 season, a fast-paced team boxing league.

“They’re one-round fights, but the intensity is real,” said Ellis, who boasts a 19-3 record over two seasons. “It keeps me in shape, and this year my brother joined, so it’s been a blast doing damage together like we did in the amateurs.”

His older brother, Ronald Ellis, is an experienced super middleweight (18-5-2, 12 KOs), and the siblings are enjoying sharing the ring once again.

But come June 21, Rashidi’s sole focus is Ruiz—and beyond that, a long-awaited shot at welterweight gold. With world champions like Jaron Ennis (IBF/WBA), Brian Norman Jr. (WBO), and Mario Barrios (WBC) atop the division, Ellis knows he must continue making noise.

“I’m being avoided because I’m too good,” said Ellis. “So I’ll keep taking out whoever’s in my path until they have no choice but to fight me.”

That includes Roiman Villa, the only man to defeat Ellis—a blemish he’s eager to erase.

“I reached out for a rematch,” said Ellis. “He told me to talk to his promoter. We’ll see what happens—but next time, I’ll knock him out.”

Before any rematch or title shot, Ellis must deliver in Lowell—something he’s confident the crowd won’t soon forget.

“June 21 is going to be a show,” said Ellis. “You’ll get fireworks from me, Francis Hogan, the amateur fights, and my stepbrother Salsa Mike Fontanez. I’m going to entertain and show exactly why the top guys are avoiding me.”