FIL-AUSSIE ELLIS LOOKING AHEAD TO WBO ASIA PACIFIC TITLE SHOT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 05 Apr 2010
Filipino-Australian Heath ?The Heat? Ellis (12-1-1, 6 KO?s) is looking ahead to a fight for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title hopefully on June 25.
However, that depends on the outcome of a tough test in the defense of his IBF Pan Pacific and WBC Asia Boxing Council welterweight titles against Steve ?Super? Maxwell (6-3, 4 KO?s) of Tasmania at the Town Hall in Malvern, Victoria on April 9.
Team Ellis has requested WBO Asia Pacific head Leon Panoncillo to sanction a fight for the 21 year old Ellis on June 25 also at the Malvern Town Hall where the nephew of former WBF and IBO world champion Lester Ellis is extremely popular.
The handlers indicated that after the April 9 bout against the 27 year old Maxwell, Ellis will have a quick fight in Sydney some eight days later which they believe will be ?perfect preparation? for an WBO Asia Pacific welterweight interim title fight..
Multi-titled Victorian ?Promoter of the Year? Peter Maniatis told us that Ellis whose mother is a Filipina ?looked very sharp? in sparring for the Maxwell title defense.
Maxwell said his strategy is to be aggressive and indicated he is ?planning an early assault on Ellis? and believes he can knock out the young Fil-Aussie ? before 6 rounds.".A relaxed Ellis responded by saying he has trained hard for their fight and knows Maxwell has power in both hands but he feels confident of winning.
Ellis? uncle, former four time World boxing champion Lester ?Master Blaster? Ellis (41-8, 28 KO?s) who won the IBF Junior Lightweight World title and Three IBO World Titles at lightweight, junior welterweight and light Middleweight. He also won two Commonwealth titles and two Australian Titles said he will be at ringside to support his nephew Heath.
A boxing legend in Australia, Lester Ellis believes his fighting nephew has ?the talent, punch and power to give trash talking Steve Maxwell a boxing lesson and then knock him out in the later rounds? of their scheduled 12 round title fight.
Ellis said his nephew?s record ?is very deceiving. Young Heath is a real knockout puncher who has hurt all he has fought in his professional career. ?The kid can punch and punch very, very hard.?
The former world champion noted that boxing is all about having a good team and good management. Heath certainly has that base covered. He said ?My brother Neil Ellis (Heath?s father) knows the game and knows it very well. The trainer, Dave Hegherty, his brother Brock and Elio Doria make one hell of a team. He also has a great sponsor Moonee Valley Pizza Pepi Magliolo, who?s support has just been the best. The man is a diamond.?
Lester Ellis added ?Team Ellis are working as one not a team of individuals which is great and the only way to be. Steve Maxwell will be an acid test for the young Ellis because he is a puncher and has a punchers chance. But Ellis is quick ,boxes smart and has excellent lateral movement and can bang also.?
The fight is under the banner of Maniatis Events. The promoter Peter Maniatis has done over 40 shows and according to Lester Ellis ?is tickled pink with Heath Ellis?s progress. The young gun is now Peter Maniatis?s main event fighter and has big things in store for his boxer. Ellis is not just all muscle and bang either , the kid will be a qualified elementary and secondary teacher later on this year and his sister an attorney in two years.
Maniatis said ?this kid excites me. l haven?t been this excited since Heath Ellis Uncle Lester Ellis was fighting in the 80?s and 90?s.?
Top photo: Heath Ellis (L) with uncle Lester Ellis.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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