Interview by Pattee Mak | April 14, 2014
On Keystone Boxing’s Friday night, April 18th card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland, unsigned 140 lb prospect Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed of Washington, D.C. (8-0-0, 5 KOs) takes on Regino Canales of Caguas, Puerto Rico (6-4-0, 2 KOs). This 21 year old has been fighting pro since March 2, 2013. His amateur career is not too shabby either. Reed won the 2005 National Silver Gloves Championship, 2005 National Ringside World Championship, 2007 National Ringside World Championships, and 2009 Junior Olympic Nationals Championship. He was a 2010 U.S. Championship Nationals Silver Medalist, 2010 National PAL Bronze Medalist, 2011 National Golden Gloves Champion, 2011 U.S. Championships Bronze Medalist. He won the 2012 Regional Golden Gloves Outstanding Boxer award. His amateur record was 90-13.
Pattee Mak: Your 9th pro fight is on Friday. What can you tell me about who you will be fighting?
Reed: I’ll be fighting Regino Canales of Puerto Rico, who is experienced and has beat good opposition. He has wins against a 6-1 and a 9-1 opponent. He is a taller opponent, listed at 5’10 for 140 lbs. Because of my extensive amateur ring experience, Canales’ fighting style isn’t likely to be something that I haven’t seen. I’m confident that I’ll be able to adjust during the fight.
Pattee Mak: Your father, Michael “Buck” Pinson is your trainer and manager. How is your relationship with your dad, both inside and outside of the ring?
Reed: Our relationship is something special, inside and out of the ring. Inside of the ring, I have the utmost confidence in whatever he tells me, because it has always worked. Outside of the ring, I would describe our relationship as being best friends. We’re always together and we often don’t see eye to eye, but that doesn’t stop us from bonding.
Pattee Mak: Is it difficult at times to have your dad manage your career?
Reed: The only difficult thing about him being my trainer and manager is hearing his voice all of the time. That can be overwhelming at times. It is one voice taking on 3 roles, so it is hard distinguishing between them when we are in a conversation.
Pattee Mak: Do you currently have a promoter? If not, what’s the status in your search for a promotional home?
Reed: I have not signed with a promoter yet. I have talked with numerous promoters, but signing a contract is a long term thing. I would like to know I’m in good hands and I haven’t felt that yet, so for now, I’ll continue to fight as an unsigned fighter.
Pattee Mak: What goals have you set for this fight?
Reed: I’m going into this fight the same way as the other fights, to give the fans an exciting fight, while being safe and protecting myself. Of course, getting a knockout would be a great accomplishment, but I won’t force it.
Pattee Mak: You have been kept busy in 2013 with 6 pro fights and this will be your 3rd fight in 2014. Are you expecting to stay busy throughout 2014?
Reed: I am looking to have 5-6 fights in 2014, barring any injuries or setbacks. I’m happy with the pace my career is moving so far. I’m keeping busy and sharp.
Pattee Mak: You have less than 10 pro fights, what experience do you gain every time you go in the ring?
Reed: I’m trying to adjust to fighting without headgear and fighting with smaller gloves. I think that’s the most difficult thing that I have had to deal with. Every boxer deals with that.
Pattee Mak: Between fights, do you take time off from the gym or are you consistently in the gym and never slow down?
Reed: After fights, I normally take 3-4 days out of the gym, just to be a normal 21-year-old, where I can eat what I want and hang with my friends. Also, it gives my mind a break from the rigorous training camp I have. Being mentally rested is just as important as being physically rested in my opinion.
Pattee Mak: Explain what occurred during your amateur career in 2011 when you tried out for the Olympics in London, but didn’t quality.
Reed: I won the National Golden Gloves, which qualified me for the Olympic Trials. After winning the Golden Gloves, I placed 3rd in the USA Boxing National Championships, which allowed me to qualify for the Olympic Trials twice. At the Olympic Trials, I won my first fight, and then I lost to the eventual Olympian by 1 point in the semi-finals.
Pattee Mak: Who do you compare your style of fighting to?
Reed: I don’t have one particular fighter that I compare my fighting style to but I have heard people say that I remind them of Aaron Pryor.
Pattee Mak: Fighting runs in your family as both your grandfather and father boxed. Do you feel you they have a high expectation of you in the ring?
Reed: Yes, I feel the expectations for me are high, but not for that reason. I feel the expectations are high because my dad knows what I am capable of. Because he is my trainer, he wants me to perform on the level where I am capable of performing.
Pattee Mak: One of your favorite fighters to watch in the ring is Miguel Cotto [38-4-0] and Cotto has an upcoming fight against Sergio Martinez [51-2-2] on June 7, 2014. What are your thoughts on this matchup?
Reed: I believe this is a difficult matchup for Miguel Cotto because Martinez is a boxer with a lot of movement. I believe the movement will present a problem for Miguel Cotto. I think it’ll be a great fight between 2 great fighters.
Pattee Mak: Will you be watching this fight on TV or live in NY?
Reed: If I have the opportunity, I will go to NY to watch live. If not, I’ll likely watch it with my family.
Pattee Mak: What do you enjoy doing when you are not boxing?
Reed: When I’m not boxing, I enjoy bowling with my family. The whole family usually goes and we compete against each other. It can be a lot of fun when we are all trying to beat each other.
Pattee Mak: Share something with me that most of your fans don’t know about you.
Reed: I was thirteen or fourteen years old before I started to actually enjoy boxing. I was a lazy, overweight kid. I was winning fights and tournaments, but it was hard work because I carried around extra weight.
Pattee Mak: Thanks so much for the interview. Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans? Tell your fans which social media sites they can follow you?
Reed: I would like to say thank you Pattee and Fight Kings for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed. To my fans, thank you for all the support. I can be found on social media. My Twitter is @YesIndeed_Reed. I do respond to my fans. Also, I have an Instagram (same name) and a Facebook page as well.
Photo courtesy of Team Reed. A special thanks to Lorin Chvotkin for making this interview possible. Follow Pattee Mak on Facebook and Twitter.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
