THE INSPIRING STORY OF HEATH ELLIS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 01 Jun 2011
When a young man involved in the sometimes brutal sport of boxing decides that an education is important and strives, while practicing his athletic discipline, to focus on his studies it provides an inspiring story. It also provides other fighters with an example worth emulating.
It is even more significant when the fighter is a champion with an exciting future ahead of him.
Filipino-Australian Heath ?The Heat? Ellis? mother Melody is from the Philippines and is married to Neil Ellis who proudly informed us that Heath has formally graduated with a Bachelor of Education A double degree which which entitles him to teach in Elementary and High school.
Adding another wholesome touch to 2 year old Heath?s graduation was the presence of his fianc?e Natalie who has been Heath?s childhood sweetheart since they were both 14 years old.
What is even more remarkable is that the charming Natalie herself is also a teacher. Indeed, there are very few boxers in the world with university degrees.
Ellis will fight for the WBC World Youth Interim light welterweight championship and the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council title against Thailand?s Patomsuk Pathompothong who has a record of 12-1 with 8 knockouts.
The fight will take place on July 22 at the Sunshine Roller Skating Center in Melbourne, Australia.
Ellis has a record of 14-2-1 with 7 knockouts and is coming of a 2nd round knockout of Yodmongkol Singmanasak last March 18. His Thai opponent is coming off a 1st round knockout over John Johan last May 20.
Among the many titles Heath has held are the Victoria State Light Welterweight, Victoria State Welterweight ,Victoria State Light Middleweight ,Victoria State Middleweight, IBF Pan Pacific Welterweight , WBC Asian Boxing Council Welterweight - Interim (2009) , WBC Asian Boxing Council Welterweight (2010) and WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Light Middleweight title.
Heath is the nephew of former IBF world super featherweight champion Lester ?Master Blaster? Ellis who was also the WBF welterweight champion, the IBO lightweight, light welterweight and light middleweight champion during his career.
Photos: Heath Ellis with his fiancee Natalie (top) and his mother Melody (above).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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