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(SEPT 12) After a fierce 10 rounds against Germany’s WIBF flyweight
champion, Elena “Baby Doll” Reid returned home without the belt but a smile
on her face.
“They were so wonderful to me,” said Reid of her experience in Germany.
In her first world title bout Reid engaged female prizefighting’s most
experienced world champion Regina Halmich at DM Arena in Karlsruhe, Germany
before more than 4,000 rabid fans.
“It was very exciting,” said Reid (14-1-5), who had never been to Europe
before spending several days promoting the fight in Germany. “The people
were so nice to me everywhere I went.”
Inside the ring, the always-smiling Reid faced Halmich (45-1-1), a veteran
fighter of numerous clashes in defense of the several world titles she has
picked up in her long career. It’s a career that has spanned more than 10
years as a professional including 40 title fights. In that time she had only
suffered one loss and no draws.
That was until yesterday.
The left-handed Reid who has changed back to a more marauding aggressive
style after experimenting with a classic boxing mode, was set to see who
would blink first. Both Reid and Halmich have the same juggernaut approach
to boxing, never a step backward.
“I felt I was able to hit her with everything I threw,” said Reid, 22. “She
was a very tough fighter.”
Chris Ben, Reid’s trainer, said the plan was to attack and use the left.
Both Reid and Ben felt they were able to achieve their goal successfully.
“She hit Regina every time she threw a left,” said Ben who worked her
corner. “She was snapping her head back with jabs and lefts.”
Halmich, 27, reportedly suffered cuts and bumps on her face from Reid’s
punishing blows, but never stopped trying.
“You have to hand it to Regina, she is one tough girl,” said Ben, adding
that other fighters might have quit under the same pressure. “Elena was too
strong for her.”
By the end of the first half of the fight, the crowd had swayed over to
Reid.
“They were cheering for Elena and calling out Baby Doll, Baby Doll,” said
Ben.
When the fight ended Halmich walked over to congratulate Reid on her
performance.
“She told me she would give me another fight,” said Reid, who felt she won
every round in the fight.
The judges scored it 98-94 Halmich, 97-93 Reid and 97-97 for a draw. It’s
Reid’s fifth draw and Halmich’s first.
The media called two of the judges scores “scandalous”. The television
commentator interviewing Halmich told her they felt she lost convincingly.
“She was mad at the television guys cause they told her she lost the fight,”
said Reid, adding that Halmich fought bravely and never stopped trying. “The
people there treated me so well. I’ll never forget them. They were really
wonderful people.
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