Reed improve to 21-0 with latest victory
Waldorf resident looking for big TV fight in 2017
Following a year in which he recorded four more victories to remain undefeated in his professional boxing career, Waldorf resident Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed remains optimistic that he can garner a championship bout sometime in the near future.
Reed, who turned 24 on Jan. 12, concluded his 2016 slate by posting an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Sidney Sequeira of Brazil in their super lightweight bout at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb., on Dec. 10. Now 21-0-0, Reed has won 12 fights by knockout and nine by unanimous decision, of which only one was close on the scorecards.
Reed, who notched the first victory of his career against Kareem McFarland on March 2, 2013 at Rosecroft Raceway in Prince George’s County, learned some valuable lessons in his lat- est bout against Sequeira. Reed knew the Brazilian would battle throughout regardless of the scoring, but he endured several unanticipated cuts during the bout.
“We knew what to expect from him,” Reed said. “He’s nicknamed ‘The Rifle’ for a rea- son. He likes to throw hard, fast punches. What caught me off guard was the head butts. We head butted a couple of times and I got a bruise under one eye and a cut over the other. It was a tough bout, but it was a good lesson.”
Reed had opened his 2016 campaign with a unanimous decision victory against Sam- uel Amoaka at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on March 18, winning all six rounds, accord- ing to the three judges’ scorecards. His next two bouts, how- ever, would not go the distance as Reed posted a sixth-round knockout against Abraham Cordero on June 11, then fol- lowed that with a seventh-round knockout of Aaron Herrera on Oct. 14.
“It was a good year,” Reed said. “I thought I got a lot ac- complished. I had four good bouts against four good opponents. My training enabled me to keep improving. I probably took a little more time off than usual after my last fight. It was right around Christmas when I went back to training.”
Reed had won all five of his fights in 2015, four of them by knockout, one year after going 6-0 with a pair of knockouts, defeating a pair of previously undefeated fighters and then signing a promotional deal with Top Rank Boxing. He had won all six of his bouts in his rookie campaign of 2013, following an amateur career when he went 90-13.
“All of our matchmakers feel he will be making a big mark on the sport of boxing,” said Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum in a news release. “With- out much time passing, he will be appearing on the stage in a big, televised fight on HBO, or on our pay-per-view events. He is one of the brightest lights in boxing.”
Reed, who won the 2005 National Silver Gloves Championship, the 2009 U.S. Junior National Championship and the 2011 National Gold Gloves title, is currently ranked sixth by the World Boxing Organization among super lightweights. A southpaw fighter by trade, Reed is trained by his father, Michael “Buck” Pinson.
“My dad is great at keeping me on schedule,” Reed said. “He might change some things here and there, depending on where he thinks I need to improve. But he’s got me on a program of running, conditioning and sparring. I usually take a week to 10 days off after a fight, but other than that it’s business as usual for me in the gym.”
Reed, whose four fights last year were in three different states, including one at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, often deemed one of the meccas of boxing in the United States over the last 100 years, has remained patient while awaiting his chance to unveil his talents in a championship bout on a big stage.
“He has gotten better and better each time out over the last year,” Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank, said in a news release. “He has impressed all of us at Top Rank with his steady and consistent performances. Out of the ring, Mike and his dad ‘Buck’ are as professional, respectful people as you’ll ever meet. Both are a great pleasure to work with and promote.”