Ronald Ellis: record, next fight and profile →
Two-time world champion and Phoenix native David Benavidez will be donating a portion of his fight purse this Saturday, March 13 to the Boys and Girls Club sports program. Those proceeds will be used to sponsor a team in the Boys and Girls Club of the Valley basketball league.
By Jake Donovan - The immediate discussion amongst the team for David Benavidez regarding his future at super middleweight was that he would have to be put to the test in order to remain in the division. From that slightly awkward conversation came the hard part—finding the right opponent for his first fight back following his second title reign.
David Benavidez begins his quest to become a three-time super middleweight titlist. The first step on the latest journey comes March 13, when the unbeaten former two-time title claimant faces Ronald Ellis in a scheduled 12-round title eliminator. The bout will top a Showtime-televised tripleheader—which was formally announced on Tuesday—from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
David Benavidez learned very costly lessons in the days leading up to his last fight. The former WBC super middleweight champion came to Mohegan Sun for fight week too heavy and didn’t realize he wouldn’t have access to the tools he typically uses to shed the final pounds prior to weighing in. Coming in nearly three pounds overweight cost the undefeated Phoenix native his 168-pound title, a lot of money from his purse and eliminated Benavidez’s leverage to secure high-profile fights within his division.
David Benavidez has an opponent against whom he can remain active while awaiting a bigger fight. Benavidez informed BoxingScene.com on Tuesday that he’ll oppose Ronald Ellis on March 13. Showtime will televise the Benavidez-Ellis fight as the main event of a tripleheader that night from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Those that tuned in to watch Chris Colbert fight Saturday night were treated to much more entertainment than his previous televised appearance provided. According to numbers Nielsen Media Research released Tuesday, an average of 195,000 viewers watched Colbert beat Jaime Arboleda by 11th-round technical knockout in Showtime’s main event. Brooklyn’s Colbert (15-0, 6 KOs) dropped Panama’s Arboleda (16-2, 13 KOs) once late in the ninth round and three times in the 11th round at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. - As part of a Showtime televised tripleheader, Ronald Ellis (18-1-2, 12 KOs) was victorious by fifth-round TKO after 37-year-old veteran contender Matt Korobov (28-4-1, 14 KOs) suffered a fight-ending injury in his second straight appearance.
Matt Korobov can’t catch a break. The 37-year-old middleweight contender lost a second straight bout due to injury Saturday night. Korobov boxed well for four rounds against Ronald Ellis, but he suffered an injury to his left Achilles tendon that prevented him from starting the fifth round.
Korobov, Ellis Weights Photos Gallery - Unbeaten interim WBA Super Featherweight Champion Chris “Primetime” Colbert and hard-hitting Jaime Arboleda previewed their upcoming showdown taking place live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, December 12 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (photos by Amanda Westcott)
Ronald Ellis didn’t even come close to making weight Friday morning for his televised fight against Matt Korobov on Saturday night. Ellis weighed 166 pounds when he stepped on the Mohegan Tribe Department of Regulation’s scale. The contracted maximum for their 10-rounder is 161 pounds.