Boxer predicts ‘good scrap’
Michael Reynolds is to make his professional debut
With a coveted amateur boxing career behind him, Michael Reynolds is more than ready for his upcoming professional debut. Reynolds, 25, from Paraparaumu, is a four-time national amateur boxing champion who has defeated some of the country’s best boxers and claimed the highest boxing award, called the Jameson Belt.
After 10 years of amateur boxing, and having senior titles, the prestigious belt, and 50 fights to his name, he felt he was ready to become a professional.
“I’ve always wanted to become a professional boxer but never thought I would until recently when I started winning the national titles.
“It has always been the dream.” Reynolds, a builder by trade, starts his professional debut against veteran kickboxer Dominic Reed, 29, from Christchurch.
Reed, who has some experience in boxing, has had over 40 fights and claimed various titles.
Michael “Mayhem” Reynolds versus Dominic “The Dominator” Reed is the main event at a pro-am day of boxing, called “Bring The Battle”, at Porirua’s Te Rauparaha Arena on March 2.
“He’s a good kickboxer, and I enjoy watching him fight, but it’s a bit different boxing, obviously.
“But, without doubt, it’s going to be a good scrap.”
Reynolds became interested in boxing as a youngster when he went to the Kāpiti Boxing Club especially as his brothers Meshach and Shadrach were into it.
He enjoyed the environment, thrived on the training and sparring, and started to get serious about the art of boxing.
“I stuck at it, won some fights, and then started with Wellington teams, and went to nationals.”
He won the national junior division in 2015, the youth division in 2017 and the elite division twice in 2020 and 2022.
Also in 2022, he was awarded New Zealand’s highest boxing honour, the Jameson Belt, for the most scientific boxer.
Some of New Zealand’s best boxers have won this award, including Olympic medalist David Nyika, boxing legend Shane Cameron, current top 10 professional boxer Jerome Pampellone and many more.
Reynolds also won the junior division equivalent award in 2015, the WP Somerville Cup.
He has won multiple Golden Gloves tournaments including the Australian tournament in 2016.
And some of the best New Zealand boxers he has beaten have included Zambia-born Alex Mukuka, and Wendell Stanley, who represented New Zealand at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Reynolds, who is coached by Richard Fleetwood and managed by Motu Esson, said becoming a professional boxer was “quite refreshing and exciting”.
“I’m feeling pretty good aye because after 10 years of amateur boxing, it didn’t get boring, it just got quite repetitive with the same people and venues.”
After the Reed fight, Reynolds said he would be concentrating “one fight at a time” but aiming at winning a national title.
Reynolds, who normally fights in the light welterweight division, wanted to “stay active this year”.
“The only trouble with that is there’s not a hell of a lot of people to fight in New Zealand.
“That’s why we are trying to go for a title and then maybe that could tee something up with an Australian champion.”
Fleetwood felt Reynolds would do well as a professional.
“He just has to keep on doing what he has been doing.
“Michael has got the winning formula and is good at listening if we need to change our plans during a fight.”
Reynolds trains Monday to Thursday, doing boxing and cardio workouts at the club, and at the weekends does track running at Paraparaumu Domain.
Tickets for Bring The Battle can be purchased via https:/ /tickets.ticketspace.co.nz/ tickets/bring-the-battle