The comeback campaign for
Rashidi Ellis will continue on November 1 against
Javier Fortuna.
The 10-round bout will take place at welterweight and headline a CES Boxing show presented by Jimmy Burchfield at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
"Speedy" Ellis (27-1, 18 KOs), who is from nearby Lynn, Massachusetts, has scored three straight stoppage wins since suffering the lone loss of his career against Roiman Villa by majority decision in January 2023. Ellis was dropped twice in the final round of the fight, which proved to be costly in the close points outcome, and then endured a 22-month layoff.
Long stretches of inactivity have plagued the well-regarded 32-year-old Ellis’ career before. After handing Alexis Rocha the first loss of his career in 2020, Ellis was sidelined for 21 months as momentum stalled due to a contract dispute with Golden Boy. Ellis later signed with PBC, but the loss to Villa again derailed his ascent.
Fortuna (39-6-1, 28 KOs), meanwhile, is well past his best fighting days and is not competing in an ideal weight class at the age of 36.
Fortuna once held a version of a WBA 130-pound title as an undefeated fighter, but that was nearly 10 years ago. He also challenged for a lightweight title in 2018, but lost to Robert Easter Jr.
Fortuna is 3-4 since 2021, with losses coming against
Ryan Garcia, Robbie Davies Jr., and Joseph Diaz Jr. and wins against unheralded opposition.
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.