After a four year hiatus, hard punching dangerman Pele Reid is planning a return to the boxing ring. For the past four years, the 32 year old has fought internationally on the K1 kick boxing circuit and now wants to prove himself on the British heavyweight boxing scene. He feels his K1 experience has hardened him mentally and physically, and he is a much improved boxer from the one who last boxed in October 2002.

Reid came to boxing in the mid 1990’s from a martial arts background with no amateur experience to speak of. It was renowned Sheffield trainer Brendan Ingle who took Reid under his wing and moulded him into a dangerous boxer. In the ring, Reid ran up a record of 13 wins in a row by stoppage and began to create a real buzz among the British fight fans.

It wasn’t meant to be and in 1999 Reid was thrown in too deep against in-form British champion Julius Francis and was stopped on his feet inside three rounds. The tough-love matchmaking continued and he was served up to world class Orlin Norris in his next fight and stopped inside a round. Other set backs followed but he kept a reputation as a dangerous, if vulnerable hitter. In some ways, his fighting DNA was not dissimilar to that other British powder-keg, Herbie Hide.

Pele drifted away from the British fight scene in late 2002 and dreamed of combining his boxing and martial arts skills to make an impact in the tough world of K1. In 2003, he got a massive opportunity to face New Zealand K1 legend Ray Sefo at the K1 World Grand Prix, but after giving a good account of himself, Reid was retired by his corner in the third round of the contest. Reid never got another big K1 opportunity and although not stopped again, found it difficult to win points decisions in other matches.

So now Reid returns to boxing and provided he can show he can still knock over journeymen, he could potentially feature in any number of domestic match ups. One with current champion Matt Skelton, who is himself a K1 fighting veteran, would be a natural. With such a hit or be hit style, Pele Reid is definitely a British heavyweight worth watching.

Click to read more boxing articles by Matthew Bridgeman

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