Ex-Tech gridder Ellis ready for pro debut Saturday night

First, the formalities. Saturday night?s boxing card at the Royale Nightclub in Boston is billed as the “Roxy Homecoming” because that?s the former name of the nightclub.By any name, the club has been the launching pad for some pretty successful local boxers, among them Dana Rosenblatt of Malden.Saturday night, another local pugilist, “Speedy” Rashidi Ellis, will make his pro debut against Ellis “Steamin?” Josh Beeman (a veritable veteran at 4-12-4, 2 KOs) of Providence, R.I. And for Ellis, it?s been a pretty long apprenticeship.?He?s been fighting for me since he was about nine years old,” says Alex Rivera of the Rivera Boxing Club (which these days operates out of Somerville). “He?s 20 now.”Rivera says that faced with the choice of going pro or training for a future Olympic bid, Ellis chose the professional route.?It would have just taken too long the other way,” Ellis said Thursday. “I wanted to make the move now. This is the next step … a new level.”Either way, Rivera is poised to help him.?I have a few promoters lined up trying to get him in some shows and to promote him as a fighter,” Rivera said. “(Rashidi) has speed, power and, overall, he has his determination and dedication. He?s in the gym every single day, non-stop.”As a welterweight (he?ll weigh in at 147 Saturday night), Ellis was the No. 1 amateur boxer in the world, according to Rivera. He has victories in the Gold Gloves and Police Athletic League tournaments to his credit, and despite the fact that he played high school football at Lynn Tech (his Tigers won the Vocational Super Bowl two years ago), he really likes boxing.?It?s you and the other guy in the ring,” he says. “The best person wins. I don?t think about getting hurt. I just go in there and do my thing.”Ellis said his experiences as a defensive back for the Lynn Tech football team didn?t hurt his maturation as a boxer.?I?d already known about how disciplined you have to be from coach (Rivera) and from my father,” said Ellis, whose brother, Ronald, also boxes (he was supposed to be on the card, but was dropped). “Playing football was similar to boxing, because you need that dedication. It may have made me meaner, though.”Rivera says Ellis impresses him not just because of his boxing.?He?s a good fighter, but before that he?s a greater son and a great student,” he says.Ellis says the boxers he looks up to include Roy Jones and Floyd Mayweather.