“Instead of going down the hill after school where I was robbing and doing some embarrassing stuff that I’m ashamed of I started running up the hill to my house to get changed and head to the gym"

We linked up with professional boxer Jordan Reynolds and get an insight to what it takes to become a tear away teen to an Olympian. 

How did you get into boxing?  

It’s always been around me growing up my dad had 5 brothers and was brought up a bit old school, we came from a rough estate so you have to be brought up tough and rough to get by and not be a victim. My dad and uncles would get me and my cousin boxing each other and fighting with gloves in my grandads garden. I always had this spite and hatefulness in me due to a lot of family problems and home life.  I carried it into school I was kicked out of all of them until the last one, they put me into anger management class and tried to influence me to come into school more by bringing in a boxing coach for me and few others. It was the first time I felt a bit of worth and love and forgot about all what was going on at home and around me I felt like I belonged somewhere. He said I had to go school more as I was only going in Mondays and Fridays the days they were doing boxing. He saw that I wasn’t changing and was trying to earn money from outside school so he offered me a job in his gym after school 4pm-9pm. I was buzzing as it was an opportunity to actually box and get some money for my mother and myself as we lost the house and became homeless for a while. After school I was realising I was missing out on a lot of things with my mates but when I look back now that was the first choice a made that dictated my future. Instead of going down the hill after school where I was robbing and doing some embarrassing stuff that I’m ashamed of I started running up the hill to my house to get changed and head to the gym. I eventually got kicked out of school so I ended up staying in the gym 10am to 10pm Monday to Saturday. While being in there and being around men and good people and just boxing everyday I had no hate anymore and just wanted to love,  I forgave my dad and a lot of people that had done me and my family wrong and cracked on with this boxing game. I excelled within boxing and after 9 years of keeping my head down I had completed over 100 fights winning 98 along with winning all National and international titles becoming England captain and got into the Olympic team.  All this after I was told I’d be a failure, even off certain family members growing up.

What advice would you give to anybody considering taking up the sport?  

Do It!! It’s a way out and a great opportunity to change your life and your family’s. I’m not the most talented I just stuck at with no hand up’s if I can make someone of myself and change my life then anybody can!

Best moment of your career so far?   

Getting on the Olympic team & making my Professional debut signed with the biggest management team in the world MTK Global.

How do you judge success?  

Having self Worth. I’ve had everything set back against me in life and my career but I’ve always found a way and came through and strive.

Who or what do you take inspiration from?  

People! People who came from nothing to something or just anyone trying to better themselves, I love that shit!

Best country you've visited?  

I’ve been to a few nice places but one that made me think that I could retire and that was Lake Como & Lake Garda in Italy