Undefeated light welterweight boxer Mike Reed secured his 22nd victory after going against Reyes Sanchez at MGM National Harbor on April 8. Reed’s “Yes Indeed” moniker seems to be fitting after he defeated Sanchez by a unanimous decision and is making waves in the local boxing scene.
D.C. native Mike Reed defeated Reyes Sanchez on April 8 at the MGM Casino in Oxon Hill, Md. (Photo by Daniel Kucin)
“This was a cool training camp,” Reed told the AFRO after taking down Sanchez. “We worked on a lot of new things, but I have to be better if I want a world championship. It’s a learning process. This was my first 10-round fight.”
A raucous crowd of 2,828 people witnessed Reed fight close to home, and he did not disappoint the fans who came out to support him. The boxer currently resides in Waldorf, Md., but was born in Washington D.C.
“He was so excited to fight in his home area and was very instrumental in the event selling out,” said Top Rank Boxing Chief Operating Officer Bob Arum.
Boxing didn’t come easy for Reed. He lost his first four amateur bouts and faced some adversity before making a name for himself in the industry. Despite having a rocky start to his newfound profession, Reed perfected his craft with his father, trainer, and manager Michael “Buck” Pinson at Dream Team Boxing Gym in Clinton, Md.
The area native finished his amateur boxing career 90-13 proving that hard work and dedication would take him to the top. Reed has scored six technical knockouts in his last 10 bouts. He signed with Top Rank after his first 10 wins as a pro.
“We wanted to join a company that does a great job of moving their fighters, and Top Rank is known for getting their fighters world championship opportunities,” Pinson told the AFRO. “Many of their current fighters are world champions. They treated us well and were very professional.”
Pinson added, “Before my son’s pro career even began, our team set a goal that within our first 10 fights, we wanted to make a statement. During those 10 fights, Michael fought some tough competition, and proved that he is a fan-friendly fighter, with extremely fast hands and power. Team Reed is very goal-oriented, and we are focused. We will be staying busy in the years to come, so make sure to look out for Team Reed.”
Boasting a Top 100 world ranking, and knocking out 55 percent of his opponents, Reed said he looks ahead for his next potential challenger. Although he does not have any fights scheduled yet, he is training. “Mike is a very good talent,” Arum told the AFRO. “My guys think he is ready to make a move. We are going to put him in some main events and move him toward the inevitable title shot.”