[4] Weighing 237 pounds and listed at 6 feet, 2 inches tall, Ellis played from 1983 to 1986, returning five interceptions for a total of 63 yards.
Their fight took place on Saturday, December 7, 1991, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada, as part of an HBO Boxing televised event headlined by an IBF vacant world junior welterweight championship fight between American former two-time world champion Roger Mayweather and Colombian rival Rafael Pineda (won by Pineda by ninth-round knockout).
Foreman was just coming off an unsuccessful but inspired effort in losing to Evander Holyfield for the world heavyweight title in his previous contest.
[9] Taylor had faced the likes of Ossie Ocasio (in his world title challenge), Marvin Camel, Rickey Parkey, Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Lee Roy Murphy in his career; he was on a seven-fight losing streak when he faced Ellis.
[11] In his last professional boxing contest, Ellis faced future WBO and linear world heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs, who was undefeated in 16 bouts coming into their Saturday, March 12, 1994, match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Briggs won the six-rounds contest by a first-round knockout, causing Ellis to decide to retire.