The late Reginald `Reggie’ Forde lived for boxing. Boxing just wasn’t a sport for him it was a passion. Ford and his younger brother, the late Patrick, just could not get boxing out of their system.
There has been lots of debate over the years as to which of the two brothers was the better boxer.
Patrick, as most would know, fought twice for the world championships and lost both encounters to Salvador Sanchez and Eusibio.
`Reggie’ Ford, fought six world champions during his relatively short career.
Born 11th June 1953 in Alberttown, to Allan Ford and Beryl Braithwaite, Ford attended St Ambrose Primary School and later Oriental College.
He had an outstanding career as an amateur boxer after he began following the game when he was just 10 years old.
His idol was his brother-in-law, the late Lennox Beckles, who would drag him along to gym workouts.
Then one day a good friend, `Pirate’ Alexander, donated the use of his bottom house for a gym.
That facility became the Salem Boxing Gym, which ultimately became one of the top boxing gyms in this country and a household name, along with Dowden’s Gym and many more at the time.
Ford eventually became the welterweight champion of Guyana in 1975-76. He is, to date, the only Guyanese boxer to participate in four major international games, the Commonwealth Games in Edinburg, Scotland in 1970, The Pan Am Games in 1971, the Olympic Games in 1972 and the Central American and Caribbean Games in 1974 medalling at two of the four games, a tremendous achievement given the state of amateur boxing at the time.
Ford won a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games and at the CAC Games but lost to former World Champion Allan Minter of Great Britain at the Olympics.
Most amateur boxers turn professional after participating in the Olympic Games, widely considered to be the pinnacle of the sport.
Ford was no exception.
His professional career, however did not pan out the way that he had expected.
Rather than be given a fight that his management knew that he would win in an effort to ease him into the pro ranks, Ford began with a debut defeat to a boxer by the name of Bobby Watts at the Civic Auditorium, Pensacola, USA.
He went the distance over 10 rounds but did not get the decision probably because Watts had just beaten a boxer by the name of Marvin Hagler.
Ford also lost his second professional bout, a much tougher fight than his debut fight considering the fact that he came up against one of the all-time greats. The fight was against Hagler at the Arena, Boston, USA and Ford, who did not have a manager at the time, was knocked out in three rounds by the `Marvellous One’.
Most fighters would throw in the towel in the fach of such setbacks but Ford had a steely determination to be the best that he could be.
Thus he began his path to redemption with a trainer in tow and won four straight fights.
Among his victims were John LoCicero, Manuel Melon, Morris Watkins and Charles Dione.
His first six bouts were in the USA but his next stop was Denmark.
On September 4th 1978 Ford had the opportunity to win a title for himself and country.
The fight for the Commonwealth middleweight title took place at Randers Hallen and Ford suffered a fifth round TKO to Ugandan Ayub Kalule, his opponent.
He returned to his homeland and, one month later on October 31 1978, he defeated Trinidad’s Eddie Marcelle. He then challenged Kenny Bristol for the middleweight title of Guyana, but lost on points over 15 rounds.
That loss was followed by another defeat this time to Luis Resto and though he won against Don Morgan, he suffered defeats to Mark Harris and, in a return bout, to Marcelle, although that bout did not take place in Guyana but at Sparrow’s Hideway, Trinidad and Tobago.
Following a draw against Brian Mueller in Guyana, Ford racked up wins against Trinidad’s Edmund Carter, Hunter Clay, Dave `Boy’ Green and Kirkland Laing. The latter two fights took place at the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, England.
In the fight against Dave `Boy’ Green, Ford entered as a substitute and, as a result of the late notice, he was forced to lose six pounds on the day of the fight in order to make the weight which made his win even more remarkable.
“When Green was going forward with both fists flying he looked good. But he was wide open to counter punches and time and again Ford found his way through Green’s defence,” newspaper reports stated of the fight.
A fight against former world champion Mike `The Body Snatcher’ Mc Callum proved his undoing and following that knockout defeat, Ford went on to lose his last seven fights to Juan Domingo Roldan, Mueller, former world champion Mark Medal, Nicky Wilshire, Bertram Buchanan, Troy Worthan and former world champion Matthew Hilton.
Following his retirement from the fistic sport with a record of 10 wins, 15 losses and one draw, Ford was involved in coaching young boxers at Gleason’s Boxing Gym, boxers like Chris Smith and the Lorcy brothers from France who later became world champions. He also trained Shawn George of the USA, a nephew of Blackmore. He was also the trainer of Vivian Harris when he won the 1997 New York Golden Gloves title. Reginald Ford leaves to mourn his 10 children and three sisters. Condolences go out to his extended family from the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. Rest in Peace Champ!
Sports Editor’s Note: Reginal Ford will be buried today at Forest Green Park Cemetry, 535 Texas Road Morganville New Jersey, United States of America.
Viewing will take place at John Funeral Home, Liberty Avenue, Brooklyn New York from 9am-10am followed by service in the Chapel.
