Super bantamweight prospect Joseph “J-Elite” Chisholm (5-1, 5 KOs), of Stratford, CT, returns to the ring on Saturday, November 1 at Mohegan Sun Arena, when he meets Hartford’s Anthony Ortiz (5-2, 5 KOs) in a high-stakes, all-Connecticut showdown between 2 young knockout artists hungry to break through to the national stage.
Tickets for CES Autumn Classic 2025 are available now at CES Fights, Ticketmaster or the Mohegan Sun Arena website. Doors open at 5pm, with the first bout scheduled for 6pm EST.
Combat sports have been a part of Joseph Chisholm’s life for as long as he can remember. His father, Martin Chisholm, owns and operates The Chick Rosnick Boxing Club in Stratford. His grandfathers were both skilled martial artists, with his paternal grandfather practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his maternal grandfather trained in the Sweet Science. Even his mother is fluent in martial arts.
“I started boxing when I was 6 or 7 years old,” recalls Chisholm. “It’s in my blood. My whole family fought. I started with mixed martial arts, and since my dad was also the boxing coach in the gym, he started the boxing class. Mind you, I didn’t really have a choice in the beginning, but then I started to gravitate towards boxing, and the rest is history.”
While father-son duos don’t always work, Chisholm and his father thrive because they are united in their goals to win world championships and create a legacy.
“We’ve been doing it for so long that I know when he’s being my dad and when he’s being my coach,” explains Chisholm. “It’s chemistry: he knows when I’m feeling a certain way and he has to motivate me, and he knows when I’m feeling good and he doesn’t have to say much. A lot of greats have had their dads in their corners: someone who wants the best for you, who knows you and your capabilities and can push you in a way that a lot of people wouldn’t understand.”
So does that mean that he and his dad speak about other aspects of life when they hang out?
“No, everything is boxing,” laughs Chisholm. “My dad eats, sleeps and drinks boxing. On the way up here, it’s boxing. When we leave, it’s gonna be boxing. When we eat, we’re gonna talk about boxing. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just how he is.”
That focus carried J-Elite to 5 national titles over an 11-year amateur career, including 3 Willie Pep Youth Championships. In 2024, Chisholm launched his professional career, signing with CES Boxing and quickly racking up 5 wins, all of them by first round stoppage.
Then came a close split decision loss in July to fellow undefeated prospect Sean Diaz of Mexico, a fight that took place just weeks after the tragic shooting death of Chisholm’s childhood best friend.
“I thought I won the fight, but my mind wasn’t there 100%,” admits Chisholm of his performance. “Physically, I was in great shape. I had a tremendous training camp. I even went to Vegas and trained with Floyd Mayweather’s people. It’s just that if you’re mind’s not there, any fighter will tell you, nothing else works. I was just hurt mentally.”
Taking time after the bout to grieve the loss of his friend, Chisholm is now more determined than ever to show the world what he is made of.
“It definitely lit a fire under me like I never felt before,” agrees Chisholm. “This is a revenge tour, and it starts with Anthony Ortiz on November 1. I’m coming out there with a clear head to remind y’all who Joseph Chisholm really is.”
Across the ring from Chisholm will be Ortiz, a Hartford-based, power-punching Puerto Rican prospect who has also stopped all 5 of his victims.
“Anthony’s a puncher,” admits Chisholm. “He can bang, but that’s nothing that we haven’t seen before in training. I’m 5-1 with 5 knockouts; he’s 5-2 with 5 knockouts. There’s only one way that this will end, but the difference is that I’m not just a power puncher, I’m a boxer-puncher first. On an IQ level, we’re different, and that’s going to show.”
For Chisholm, November 1 isn’t just another fight, it’s the opportunity to demonstrate that he is not a frontrunner who only depends on his explosive power: “I had a tremendous training camp, and I can’t wait for the world to witness what I can do against Ortiz. If [Sean Diaz] was me at my worst, then imagine me at my best!”
On November 1, one thing is for sure: both men have stopped every opponent they’ve defeated, and neither plans to take a step back.
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