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Photos © Jim Everett/SaddoBoxing
Saddoboxing spoke with Jonathon Reid 34-4 (19) at Casey’s Boxing Gym in Warwick, Rhode Island while he was in town for his upcoming bout with former Commonwealth Light Middleweight Champion, Ossie Duran 22-5 (9). The eight round event is the co-feature for the “Hearts of Fire” fight card which takes place on February 9, 2007 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence , Rhode Island . In an exclusive interview with Saddoboxing, Reid, the Contender season one alumnus, discussed the Contender and his future plans.
Saddoboxing: Jonathon, I appreciate you speaking with us today. I want to ask you about your upcoming fight on Friday. Do you know much about your opponent Ossie Duran?
Jonathon Reid: “I don’t know much about him, all I was told is that he puts on his pants one leg at a time just like I do.”
SB: How much notice did you have for this fight?
JR: “I would say it’s been about four weeks out. But you know we are always in the gym preparing for something or trying to at least stay as close to our weight as possible in case we get a phone call like this so we don’t have to hesitate to take the bout.”
SB: What weight are you most comfortable fighting?
JR: “I am most comfortable fighting anywhere from 155 to 160.”
SB: I wanted to ask you a little bit about your experience on the Contender. Do you feel it helped your career or hindered it?
JR: “I believe the Contender helped my career. A lot of times people don’t know who you are until they see you on television and the Contender allowed a lot of viewers even people who are not into boxing see who I am. Once they hear your name they still try to keep up with your career just from watching the show.”
SB: Are you still affiliated with the show?
JR: “I am not contractually signed with the Contender people anymore. They gave me my walking papers so to say after the season two finale. They have a lot of fighters and they can’t keep us as busy as they would like. They decided to let some of us go so we can fight for other promoters.
“If I was still under their promotion I would probably not be able to have this fight right now. So I would still be sitting on the shelf. I think it is something positive that they did and we don’t have any hard feelings toward each other. If they would want to use me on some future under-cards they have that opportunity.”
SB: Who is your current promoter?
JR: “I am currently not being promoted by anybody.”
SB: What do you hope to accomplish in this upcoming year?
JR: “We want to take 2007 and get back on track as far as staying busy in the ring. Last year I only had two fights. A good year is about three or four fights a year. We want to try and get in three or four fights with wins. Anybody can fight three or four fights in a year but you want to win them and then I can get myself back in the rankings to be able to fight for a world title.”
SB: What do you think it will take to get you to that point?
JR: “Hard work and dedication. Just getting in there and doing what I know how to do and letting my hands go.”
SB: Are there any opponents in particular that you would like to face?
JR: “I don’t have any one in particular right now that I have my sights set on. Whoever the champion is at 154 or even 160, I’ll take on whoever it is.”
SB: Thanks so much for the time and I wish you the best of luck.
JR: “Thanks a lot. God bless you.”
