Garrett Rice signs with Salita, pro debut set for December 20

Featherweight prospect Garrett “Baby Gee” Rice will make his professional debut under the Salita Promotions banner.

Rice is a 22-year-old from Dearborn, Michigan, and his new promoter regularly puts on shows in the state, particularly in Detroit and Flint. Rice’s first evening in the professional ranks will be on December 20 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. The show is headlined by a rematch between Olivia Curry and Kaye Scott for the vacant WBA and WBC middleweight titles.

According to a press release, Rice had more than 170 amateur bouts; won Silver Gloves titles in 2015 and 2016; was a Junior Olympic champion; captured Michigan Golden Gloves championships in 2017 and 2018; and triumphed in the Ohio State Golden Gloves in 2024.

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He is coached by Ed Kendall at Berston Field House in Flint, where he has trained alongside that city’s standout champion, Claressa Shields.

“Turning pro feels like the start of a new chapter,” Rice said in a press release. “I learned a lot from the amateurs [about] how to stay patient, how to place my shots, how to think in the ring. Now it’s about sharpening that and building real momentum. I want to be 7-0 by the end of 2026.”

Salita Promotions said Rice attracted the company’s attention during the 2024 Olympic Trials. (Rice lost during the tournament to Jonny Mansour; Jahmal Harvey ultimately earned the spot at featherweight for the American team in the Paris Games.)

“Garrett is one of the best young amateur standouts in the country,” Dmitiry Salita said in a press release. “Coming out of Flint’s legendary Berston Field House, the same Michigan boxing lineage that produced world champions and icons, [he] has the talent, the charisma, and the Detroit-Flint spirit that fans connect with. We believe he can become one of the breakout faces of the new era.”

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.