Ebenezer Griffith: 'I Am Cut From The Old-School Cloth, Like George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, And Joe Frazier'

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Junior middleweight Ebenezer Griffith is many things, and a boxer is just one of them. Actively involved in his church, a trained musician, and an eternal optimist, Griffith comes across as someone headed to grad school rather than a professional boxer.

Griffith fights Saturday against Yeis Gabriel Solano at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. The bout is part of Butterfly Brawl 3, with all proceeds benefiting Teen Cancer America.

Griffith, 8-0 (3 KOs), returned to boxing after the COVID-19 pandemic. He started boxing at 12 but found his love for the sport in 2020. That passion led to some success, winning national titles. When he decided to turn pro, he moved to Denver, Colorado, to train with his coach, Rolando Lopez, whom he met during his time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The area is familiar, as his older brother, Jonas Griffith, is a former NFL player who played for the Denver Broncos.

Griffith volunteers for non-profits, is active in church, and is as outgoing as any fighter you could interview. All of that comes together as what he believes is his biggest strength.

“I am as dedicated as they come; I am cut from the old-school cloth, like George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Frazier,” Griffith told FightsATW. “I will never give up. My mental fortitude is like none other.”

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Griffith, 24, has to adjust in the ring to what his opponent does. That is a skill he fine-tuned earlier in life.

“My mother taught me the piano since I was five or six years old,” Griffith said. “Growing up, I played in church; my dad is a pastor. I am able to play classical music and sheet music; I am able to play by ear. It is something I am very passionate about.”

He jokes that when in the gym, an eclectic taste of musical offerings will come through the speaker, from classical to hip-hop to country.

In his last fight, tempers flared. Griffith fought Wayne Boudreaux, who competed in the 2019 Olympic Trials. At the weigh-in, the two got into it. According to him, it went semi-viral. During the fight, Boudreaux built a small lead before Griffith dropped him in the sixth and stopped him.

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“It was my moment to not just show the boxing community, but the sports community as a whole, who I am,” Griffith said. “When I knocked him out with the body shot, and I saw him lying on the canvas, it was a vindicating moment.”

Now, he returns for his second fight of the year. Solano is a journeyman at this point, but has been matched tough. Solano, 15-6 (10 KOs), might be winless in his last six fights, but he has also faced more experienced and, more than likely, better opposition. In 2021, Solano fought Mykquan Williams on ShoBox and lost a unanimous decision. That was followed by a competitive loss to Alberto Palmetta via split decision. Last year, his fortunes nearly changed when he lost a majority decision to Cletus Seldin. Notably, Seldin has fought since that bout.

Solano enters as a dreaded type of foe for this kind of prospect. A one-time world title hopeful whose dream has seemingly vanished, but his will to win has not. On paper, it looks like an easy fight, but it is anything but. Solano has far more experience than Griffith.

“I want people to know I am exactly who I say I am,” Griffith said. “By my 15th fight, I want to fight for a world title…not only am I going to fight for a world title, I am also going to win it.”