Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa Preview, Betting Odds and Prediction - January 7

Undefeated welterweight rising star Rashidi Ellis is back in action tonight. Interestingly, he hasn't seemed all that focused on tonight's opponent of late. At the recent press conference for Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia, Ellis got into a heated debate with Jaron Ennis.

During their argument, Ennis made clear he wants Ellis next. Ellis, in response, revealed his own interest but only if the pay is on the level. Considering the danger Roiman Villa's fast hands pose, Ellis might live to regret somewhat looking past tonight's opponent earlier this week.

Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa Fight Details

Date & Time: Saturday, January 7, 08:00p.m. EST

Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa Betting Odds

Fighter	Moneyline	Win by KO/TKO	Win by decision/points	Draw
Rashidi Ellis	-700	+250	-165	+1600
Roiman Villa	+450	+650	+1000	+1600

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Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa Tale of the Tape

Ellis will enjoy a two-inch advantage in both height and reach tonight. Both men have made it to 147lbs for the contest. Ellis has shown elite durability in his fights, often dragging them into deep waters to take advantage of opponents with less cardio.

Villa, meanwhile, is a knockout artist, with 24 of his 25 victories coming via TKO/KO.

When it comes to stances, both combatants tend to rely on an orthodox stance between the ropes. The undefeated Ellis will likely look to neutralize and slow down Villa's killer hands as the fight goes on.

Fighter	Age	Height	Weight	Reach	Record
Rashidi Ellis	29	5'9"	147lbs	72"	24-0-0
Roiman Villa	29	5'7"	147lbs	70"	25-1-0

Rashidi Ellis vs. Roiman Villa Prediction

Ellis has been turning plenty of heads in recent times thanks to his slick technical skills in the ring. Should he get past Villa tonight, it's clear he likely wants Jaron Ennis next. Even more interesting, though, are his recent callouts of top dogs Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.

The supremely confident Ellis could well be on his way to bigger, brighter things if he survives tonight.

Of course, surviving someone with the headhunting, assassin-like techniques of Roiman Villa is much easier said than done. For Ellis, head movement, defense, and distance management will be essential. Getting into a firefight will likely result in Villa claiming another knockout.

Given his cardio and speed, though, Ellis should just about manage to drag this one to the scorecards for a watertight decision win.

Prediction: Ellis via decision

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