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Introducing: Limerick’s Lee Reeves


Two new Irish pros will debut tomorrow night in Belfast before, across the Atlantic Ocean, a third will step into the ring.

Super flyweight Cathy McAleer and super featherweight Kelvin McKenzie both feature on the ‘Back in Belfast’ card at the Shorts Sports and Social Club and a few hours afterwards in Toronto it will be the turn of Lee Reeves.

The Limerick welterweight has linked up with Canadian promoter Lee Baxter and will make his bow on the ‘Next Generation’ card at The Danforth Music Hall.

Here, over four rounds, he will take on Mexican Benito Aburto [2(1)-2(1)] and will be looking to hit the ground running.

Still living in Ireland, Reeves has made the trip over to Canada this week for his first fight following a long camp during which he spent time sparring with Basque European champion Kerman Lejarraga.

A good amateur, 23-year-old Reeves boxed out of the Corpus Christi club and was a two-time Irish underage champion and won the Senior A title at the Haringey Box Cup in London earlier this year.

However, the uncertainty of the amateur game did not appeal to Reeves who has instead elected to make the big move to the pros here he will join former clubmates Graham McCormack and Siobhán O’Leary.

He explained how “I’m 23. I’ve done a lot of stuff as an amateur. I was thinking will I wait for the Olympics. But as we know in the amateur game, you can be on the top of your game, but one bad decision and you’re set back another 12 months.”

“For the first 12 months of my professional career, all I’m looking at is learning, learning, learning. That’s all I want to do. I want to experience it, I want to enjoy the ride, but I won’t be getting beat.”

A talented southpaw, Reeves idolised defensive master Pernell Whitaker as a child but it is a fellow Limerick lefty he plans to emulate during his career.

Reeves described how “I’m an aggressive counterpuncher. If a guy wants to push me, he’s going to get hurt.”

“There’s a big boxing following in Limerick, so it’s a good place. I always looked up to Andy Lee. I always saw him and thought I could be on that level one day too.”

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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