Reved Up Lee Reeves Ready to Show he is in the same League as O’Leary and co with Cully win
The financial reward may be limited, but Lee Reeves believes beating Gary Cully will pay dividends for the rest of his career.
The Limerick man contests one of the more intriguing bouts on the No Turning Back bill on Saturday night when he faces a man who flirted with world level in Kildare’s Diva.
‘El Champo’ says he isn’t receiving a purse of note but is content in sacrificing immediate earnings in pursuit of the biggest win of his career when he meets the Sarto southpaw in the 3Arena.
Rather than chasing a payday, Reeves says the August 1 showdown is an investment in the future.
“I’ve been in this game 20 years now,” Reeves explained when speaking to Boxing Tickets NI.
“I haven’t been doing it for the hype or Instagram or because of the name of being a boxer. I’ve been doing it because I love it. I didn’t get the opportunities I deserved at the beginning of my career, but God’s plan is perfect.”
The Treaty County man, who has yet to contest a domestic despite being linked with some Irish fighters in recent years, feels opportunities have passed him by, as a result he says he went above and beyond to get a possible career changing clash.
“I’ve done everything to get this fight to happen. I’m basically showing up and fighting for free just to show my potential, get this win, launch-pad my career and show what Lee Reeves is all about. It’s about the investment. I’ve been investing in myself for 20 years and I’m waiting for it to pay off.”
“If I didn’t have the Defence Forces giving me that wage every week and my sponsors helping make camp easier, I don’t know where I’d be now. The reason I’m doing boxing is completely for the love of it, the passion of it, and to show the world my actual potential.”
Victory over Cully would instantly thrust Reeves toward European conversation at 140lbs.
Limerick City model believes he already belongs alongside some of the division’s biggest names.
“I don’t look at the likes of Sean McComb, Dalton Smith, Adam Azim or Pierce O’Leary and think they’re out of my league.
“I know for 12 rounds I can rock with any one of those guys. If I get the opportunity and I get the right camp, I’m ready now.”
“But first I have to show people that so I can be in those conversations.”
