The ups and downs of Robin Reid

I am usually delighted when an old boxer retires. Too many old fighters stick around too long, trading off a long-ago lost reputation and end up getting a few batterings which could affect their health in later life. Robin Reid is getting out with his mental faculties intact and, if Friday night's performance was really the best he could still do, he's getting out at the right time.

There was always something slightly disappointing about Reid's career and Friday's effort against Carl Froch summed it all up rather well. In the build-up he had spoken about this great chance to win the British title, his first shot at the Lonsdale belt. Ringside, one national paper writer tapped me on the shoulder to ask my opinion, saying he felt Reid was really up for it and he thought it could be one last hurrah. I pointed out that he can't have seen much of Robin in the past decade. I then happily offered 8-1 odds to another colleague on the former WBC champion - he put on £1.

As Reid happily goaded the home crowd, he seemed motivated, he seemed in shape, maybe I had made a mistake? But then the first bell went and he reverted to type.

You see, somewhere along Reid's career, he stopped being an aggressive come-forward fighter and started becoming a spoiler. Self-preservation became more important than destruction. On Friday, despite all the talk before, he spoiled again, held, moaned to the ref and, ultimately, it was an easy win for Froch.

Reid used such tactics against Sven Ottke and, against a fighter who was the ultimate kidder, it nearly worked. He tried the same against Jeff Lacy, but the American was having none of it and battered him. Robin may have retired today, but I don't remember seeing the real Robin Reid much since he almost beat Joe Calzaghe. However, when I think of Robin, I'll still think about the highlights and not just the quid I won on Friday night.

Actually, that's not all I'll think of. For years there were rumours that Reid subsidised his income by appearing as a porn star, although I've yet to meet anyone who has actually admitted to recognising him in such a film. My colleague Kevin Garside, then boxing correspondent of the Mirror, who now slums it as motor racing correspondent of the Telegraph, got to the bottom of the story which contained the following marvellous quote complaining about the downside of the job: "You have to pose, stand here, stand there, up and down like a yo-yo for four or five hours."

Comments

[Neil Park]

I think its for the best that Robin has retired. He was a good fighter, who had some memorable wins. The one against Giovanni Pretorious sticks in my mind. Good luck to him.

[Black Lightning]

Robin Reid has always been rubbish and I am qualified to say that, I sparred many rounds with him as a Novice Amateur. He was a fully fledged GB international at the time and thought himself too good to fight in the local scene and ABA's.

What he always had was good strength and a very good left hook but his overall technique left a lot to be desired.

I was amazed he won an Olympic medal and even more surprised that he won a world title.

His achievements far outweighed his talents and he should be commended for that.

Nice guy too - glad he's got out of the game now and glad he finally got rid of that old BMW convertible :)

Good luck with your new career what ever that may be.