Elise Soto pays tribute to Terrific Gist, Jesselyn Silva after win

Elise Soto paid tribute to two fallen New Jersey boxing figures after banging away to her eleventh straight win on Saturday, May 30.

Soto (11-0, 9 KOs), of Randolph, N.J. scored a four-round unanimous decision over Thalia Joseline Limon (4-2, 3 KOs) at County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas. Immediately afterwards, she turned her attention to her first professional trainer, the late Aroz “Terrific” Gist, and her former sparring partner Jesselyn Silva. Gist, 55, passed earlier this month, while Silva, a former national champion, passed in 2024 from a rare brain cancer.

“Coach Terrific Gist, he always said he considered me like a daughter, and I’m not a super emotional person, but I just wanted to give a shout out to him,” said the 21-year-old Soto.

“My first consistent female sparring partner, Jesselyn Silva, passed away a few years ago from brain cancer, and May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month, so I just want to give a shout out to her and say thank you for my team and everybody who made it happen and supported me.”

Soto, who is a frequent sparring partner of Puerto Rican legend and manager Amanda Serrano, shook off a swollen left eye to get the decision in what may have been her toughest fight so far. Soto says she wanted to show more of the boxing ability she has been working on in the gym.

“I’ve been working on boxing in the gym, and I wish I could have shown that a little more. But like I said, I’m a fighter at heart, and I want to go in there and give it my all,” said Soto, who is now trained by Jose Luis Guzman.

The fight was part of the Stephanie Han vs. Holly Holm II card and aired on ESPN+.

Photo by Cooper Neill / Most Valuable Promotions