Sibling boxers

Rashida Ellis watches as her brother, Rashidi, is tended to by coach Alex Rivera during a bout he lost on Thursday. Tyler Tjomsland, SR photo

Back in Lynn, Mass., the Ellis family took tough love to a new level: The basement. With fists flying.

Rashidi and younger sister Rashida absorbed some life lessons along with those punches from older brother Akeem, and both are trying to follow him on the path to stardom. One stop is the USA Boxing National Championships, which conclude Saturday at Northern Quest.

Akeem, now a pro boxer, is “the one who pushed me into boxing,” said Rashidi, a 19-year-old welterweight who is considered to be a contender for the 2016 Olympics.

“Before he pushed me, I didn’t want to come to the gym, but then I fell in love with it.”

So did Rashida, who yearned to play basketball but never grew past 5-foot-3. Like Rashidi, she played youth football, but prefers the one-on-one of the ring.

With her older brothers in her corner, she began boxing at age 9. Jim Allen, SR

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