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| Robin Reid’s reasons for landing this nationally televised fight against the promising Jeff Lacy could be attributed to two motives. One, he is Lacy’s IBF mandatory, or two, he is a stepping-stone for Lacy and a strong chance for Lacy earning his twentieth win. As I look at the antics of the Lacy camp, I am leaning towards reason two. A fighter can find numerous ways to grasp self-improvement and apply that new eagerness towards his |  Click for larger image © Tom Casino/Showtime |
current opposition and in Reid’s case, a current champion. Reid turned professional on February 27, 1993, in his home country of England. Lacy was fifteen-years-old and still applying the basics of the sport of boxing; a sport he would glide up through with accurate success. Reid has never fought a professional fight in the United States and in his past, he captured several major and minor titles while fighting mainly in Europe. Now he is entering into a fight with perhaps the most dangerous super middleweight in the sport today.
Applying the fight’s location, Lacy’s birth state of Florida, and the early predictions of Reid leaving the ring by way of knockout, it is safe to say that Reid is in the toughest fight of his career. This fight has elements in it that can either toss Reid into the journeyman pool of talent or into the belly of earning another championship and perhaps another go around with Joe Calzaghe, a fight that tested both fighters, and with Calzaghe earning the win in decision fashion, it left more animosity between the two fighters than answers.
This is boxing and the adoring fans of the sport can play Sunday morning promoters, but at the end of the day, the fighters are the true promoters. A Lacy vs. Calzaghe fight could generate publicity, huge financial benefits and the possibility of seeing a fight of the year. In contrast, a comeback story with a near perfect ending could place Reid into the mental locker room that Ricky Hatton was in just before his surprising win over Kostya Tszyu. The Jermain Taylor win is still fresh news sinking in, Kassim Ouma’s slippage from his championship reign, Vivian Harris’ crumble in front of a judging boxing public, are all examples of the climax in boxing.
A chance to put Calzaghe’s big payday on the waiting list and handing Lacy a lesson has to be exciting and a form of fulfillment for the veteran Reid. He can replace nervousness with a point to prove. Reid’s chance here is bigger than any first time championship fight like he shared with his technical knockout win over Vincenzo Nardiello for the WBC super middleweight belt in 1996. Reid’s allowance of letting the decision sway against Sven Ottke could play past recollections of blowing his only solid chance of splashing into the major American boxing market.
Through out Reid’s active boxing career, and combining all his past ups-and-downs, they are minor in comparison to this Saturday night. This fight here is a necessary win, a requirement that he must handle with increased security and dedication. He is young, and at the age of thirty-four, the answer of showing the world he has a lot more boxing in him, is totally up to him. Reid’s professional record of thirty-eight wins, four losses, with twenty-seven knockouts is a winning and sustainable record and if he wants to increase his chances of making a more positive statement in the world of boxing, he needs to win. He needs to make a self-adjustment and not only think like an undefeated fighter, but fight like one. That is the only way to beat one without questions.
Contact Shaun Rico LaWhorn at filmmaking_mentality@msn.com
