Roiman Villa demonstrated that persistence can repay.
The welterweight contender from Venezuela was outclassed by Rashidi Ellis within the first half of their struggle however delivered a fierce rally — together with two final-round knockdowns — to upset beforehand unbeaten Rashidi Ellis by a majority choice in a 12-round title eliminator.
One decide scored it 113-113, a draw. Nonetheless, the opposite two favored Villa 114-112, six rounds every. Boxing Junkie scored it 114-112 for Ellis.
Ellis (25-0, 15 KOs) managed the primary six rounds with an incessant jab, loads of arduous, correct energy pictures and the power to make use of his toes to remain out of hurt’s approach.
He gave the impression to be on his solution to an one-sided victory. Nonetheless, Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) had totally different concepts.
Villa’s relentless stress paid off the second half of the motion, when he started to land arduous, punishing pictures to Ellis’ head and physique to climb again into the struggle.
The Venezuelan gained the struggle within the closing spherical, when he put Ellis down twice — as soon as from a left hook halfway via the body and once more with a flurry of pictures within the closing seconds — to earn a 10-7 spherical.
That proved to be the distinction on the scorecards within the first important upset of 2023.
