LEGENDARY boxing coach Jesse Reid – a Hall of Fame trainer who has coached 23 world champions in his career – believes Bury’s Scott Quigg can become one of Britain’s all-time great fighters.
The 22-year-old super-bantamweight, pictured below, who has won all 21 of his fights, including 14 inside the distance, is training in the United States after spending £4,000 of his own money to finance the latest stage in his education.
Plans to work with Freddie Roach at the world-famous Wild Card gym, home to Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan, were shelved when the trainer flew to Mexico to be with another of his top fighters, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, ahead of a forthcoming fight.
But Hatton Promotions protégé Quigg was put in touch with the highly-respected Reid, and the former Elton High School pupil has made a major impression on a man who has trained some of the sport’s greats.
“Scott came from England to seek me out and that’s a great compliment because I think he’s going to be the greatest fighter ever to come out of that country,” said Reid.
And the feeling is mutual with Quigg delighted to be working alongside such an established coach.
“Although Jesse isn’t my trainer he’s looking after me superbly,” said Quigg.
“He has been taking me over to Joe Goossen’s gym and the sparring I am getting with some good unbeaten Japanese and Mexican fighters is invaluable.Jesse is an honest man and thinks I have been doing well and I think it has gone pretty well, so the trip is turning into a special experience.
“I have still been popping into the Wild Card Gym to sample the atmosphere and hopefully I will get some sparring when Freddie returns.
“But Jesse is sorting everything out for me from a coaching and sparring aspect so I am pretty happy with the Los Angeles life even if it isn’t a patch on Bury.”
Quigg was struck down with a flu bug in the early days of his trip, but he is now fighting fit and enjoying every minute of life inside the gym.
He does, however, say life in the Hollywood hills is not as exciting as some may expect.
“When I woke up on my first morning here I thought I had been 10 rounds with Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao on the same night,” he said.
“I eat, sleep and breathe boxing 24/7 so the minute I was well enough I headed straight to the gym.
“But don’t think it is all glamour because I am in Tinseltown. The Wild Card gym is above a laundry that has an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting room, an off-licence, a Thai takeaway and an Armenian church as neighbours.”
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