Former IBO and WBC world champion Robin Reid has turned his attention after boxing to preventing knife crime in local communities.

Runcorn’s ‘Grim Reaper’ was a two-time world champion, making multiple defenses of his WBC and IBO world titles and infamously giving Joe Calzaghe what was arguably the toughest fight of Calzaghe’s career.

Reid, who defeated Brian Magee to become IBO world champion in a heated Britain vs Ireland clash, discussed his time as world champion and his rivalry with modern day great Calzaghe.

The Runcorn man said, "Being world champion is the pinnacle of your professional career. I loved every minute of being world champion and I had some great fights in the U.K and made defenses of both WBC and IBO titles over two reigns. I’m very proud of that part of my career. Beating names like Brian Magee, Henry Wharton and many other top names showed I was a legitimate world champion.

"It was a dream to achieve the success that I did and put on some entertaining world title fights, a lot of the time in front of my home supporters in fights that people still talk about to this day. Not only that but people to this day still ask me why the Calzaghe rematch never happened."

Reid continued, opening up on his feelings towards Calzaghe and why the rematch never happened, “I don’t hate Joe Calzaghe like some people say I have tons of respect for the guy. I gave him a hell of a fight and I thought I deserved at least a draw and when we fought it we were both in our prime. With all due respect, Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins were slightly past their primes when he fought them, that wasn’t the case with us.

“The rematch should have happened, it was a great fight and people still talk about why it never happened. It came down to the politics of boxing and a conflict between managers. That’s boxing I’m afraid and that was why it never happened and that is a shame.”

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Reid has continued to act as a leading light in ‘Safety Guide Foundation’ whose objective is to prevent knife-crime in local communities. Reid discussed the foundation in the gym he became world champion at Moston & Collyhurst in a campaign that has been covered by many national media outlets in the UK.

Reid opened up about his charity work, “What we’re about is to get the message across to the kids about carrying knives. We’re very passionate about getting the message across about knife crime and raising awareness of the implications that come with carrying knives.

“I don’t think kids realise the impact knives can have on their lives and other lives. I have never been around knife crime as when I was a kid people didn’t carry knives. Kids are unfortunately falling into the trend of carrying knives and we’re trying to educate the kids on the dangers of carrying knives.”