31.03.07 – By James Slater: Former super middleweight champion of the world Robin Reid fought for the first time in nineteen months last night, in Newcastle, England. Headlining the card that saw British fighters take on the American’s in a spin off of the hugely successful Contender T.V show, “The Grim Reaper” unanimously out pointed Jesse Brinkley over eight rounds. The victory, Robin’s first since being stopped for the only time in his long career, against Jeff Lacy, is the first step in what the thirty-six year old hopes will be a long term comeback..
With British champion Carl Froch very much in his sights, Robin wants to finish off his career by capturing the prestigious Lonsdale belt. Though he got his hands on the WBC world title quite early on in his career, defending it successfully three times, the British title was something Robin never even boxed for. That could change in the near future, though.
Froch would most certainly be the betting favourite should a fight between he and Reid take place. But, with his consistently low held hands, combined with his own admission that he is guilty of performing below his best when he sees no overt reason to bring his very best game with him, a fight with Robin would be no forgone conclusion. “The Cobra” would more than likely look past Reid, seeing as how he is in the veteran stage of his boxing, and possibly underestimate him.
That’s where the trouble would start. For while he was badly beaten by Lacy in August of 2005, Reid was far from his best on that occasion. With no real facilities provided for he and his camp upon arrival in Florida, only training of a bare minimum was possible.
Who can forget the sight of Robin sparring next to that swimming pool in the recreation area of his hotel? No blame was put on the Americans for this, however. Brian Hughes, Reid’s trainer, told me himself that the shoddy organisations were the fault of fellow Brits. Whatever the case, Robin was badly beaten and stopped at the end of seven rounds.
Now, however, after the confidence boost last night’s victory gave him, the Runcorn man wants to finish off his career with some meaningful wins. Even a second fight with long reigning world ruler Joe Calzaghe is a fight that Reid would like to make. He gave Joe a real tussle back in 1999, and was considered unlucky by many to have lost the split decision. A draw would have pleased most observers. So Calzaghe-Reid II is a fight that would very much appeal to the thirty-six year old.
And if he can get past Froch – no easy task, obviously – the fight would be a natural. Both he and Joe are around the same age, are both easily recognisable names, especially in the U.K, where the fight would almost certainly take place. So why not? There is definitely some unfinished business between the two, at least in Robin’s mind, due to how desperately close their initial meeting was. A rematch gives “The Grim Reaper” something to shoot for in his comeback, too.
He has seen the man he was neck and neck with go on to earn huge respect and millions of £’s. Whereas he was pretty much written off by the experts. Sure, he lost to the man Joe looked absolutely dazzling against, in Lacy, but styles make fights, and I have a slight suspicion that if he and “The Pride of Wales” were to meet again, the fight would be as close and hard fought as the first one. The chances of it happening may be, as the saying goes, “slim and none,” even if Robin shocks everyone by defeating Froch. But I’ll say this, I’d rather see Joe tangle with the likes of Robin Reid as opposed to the over hyped Peter Manfredo- a fighter, who, by the way, I would expect Reid to defeat if they fought today.
Joe will get a fairly easy, and well deserved pay day, on April 7th. I just hope that after he does so he won’t rule out the chances of his giving one to Robin Reid. It’s not over for “The Grim Reaper” yet, not by a long shot.