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Reina Tellez Speaks After Impressive
UK Victory, Sets Sights On Bigger Fights
Four days removed from one of the most significant victories
of her career, featherweight contender Reina Tellez (14-1-1,
5 KOs), who is co-promoted by MVP and Boxlab Promotions, has
had a little time to appreciate what she accomplished in
Birmingham, England.
Now, she is already thinking about what comes next.
Tellez defeated British contender Jessica Barry (10-2, 2
KOs) in a 10-round featherweight showdown this past
Saturday, August 29, at bp pulse LIVE as part of MVPW-06: UK
vs. USA. The event, promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable
Promotions, was broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United
Kingdom and ESPN+ in the United States.
Tellez entered the fight knowing she would be competing in
Barry’s home country, in front of a crowd that naturally
wanted to see the British fighter succeed. She left
Birmingham with an important victory, a performance bonus
and the distinction of being the only Team USA fighter on
the card to have her hand raised.
A few days later, Tellez is proud of the accomplishment, but
she isn't interested in spending too much time looking
backward.
“I've had a few days now to really think about the fight,
and I'm very proud of what we accomplished,” said Tellez.
“Going to the UK, fighting Jessica in front of her home
crowd and getting the victory was a big moment for me. She
is a very good fighter, and I knew I had to be disciplined
for all 10 rounds. I trusted my preparation, stayed composed
and did what I needed to do.”
Being the only member of Team USA to earn a victory made the
night even more memorable for Tellez, although she remains
humble about the distinction.
“Representing the United States meant a lot to me,” Tellez
continued. “When you put on those colors and travel to
another country, you want to represent yourself and your
country with pride. Being the only fighter from Team USA to
get the victory made it even more special. I have a
tremendous amount of respect for everyone who competed that
night, and I'm just grateful that I was able to come through
for my team.”
The victory gave Tellez more than another win on her record.
It showed her she could leave the comfort of home, travel
across the Atlantic, compete in a major arena against a
quality opponent and handle the pressure that comes with
being the visiting fighter.
Those are experiences Tellez believes will serve her well as
the level of competition continues to rise.
“Fighting in the UK was something I'll always remember,”
Tellez said. “The boxing fans there are passionate and
knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was incredible. Obviously,
most of them were there supporting Jessica, but I enjoyed
that. There was an energy in the building that made you want
to perform.”
Tellez believes learning to thrive in unfamiliar
surroundings is part of becoming a championship-level
fighter.
“You can't always expect everything to be comfortable,” she
added. “If you want the big fights, sometimes you have to
travel. Sometimes you're going to be in somebody else's
hometown with the crowd against you. I learned that I could
handle that environment and stay focused on my job. That
gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.”
With the Barry fight behind her, Tellez believes the victory
should put her in position for another meaningful
opportunity in the featherweight division.
She isn't demanding a particular opponent or trying to rush
the process, but she makes no secret about where she wants
her career to go.
Tellez wants bigger fights.
“I feel like this victory opened another door for me,”
Tellez said. “Jessica was a good opponent, the fight was on
a big platform, and I was able to go into her country and
win. Now I want to build on that. I want to keep facing
quality fighters and continue moving toward another world
title opportunity.”
There is a noticeable hunger in Tellez's outlook, but she
also understands that one victory doesn't guarantee anything
in boxing.
“I know I still have work to do,” Tellez continued. “I'm not
sitting here saying I've accomplished everything because I
won one important fight. It's the opposite. A win like this
makes me want more. It shows me what is possible, but now I
have to get back in the gym, keep improving and be ready
when the next call comes.”
Tellez also expressed her appreciation to MVP for giving her
the opportunity to compete on the UK vs. USA card and to
Boxlab Promotions for helping guide her career.
For Tellez, performing on an international stage and being
rewarded with a performance bonus provided validation that
the work behind the scenes is beginning to pay off.
“I'm very grateful to my promoters, MVP and Boxlab
Promotions, for giving me this opportunity and putting me on
a platform where so many people could watch me compete,”
Tellez said. “They've believed in me and continued to put me
in positions where I can grow.”
Rather than viewing the opportunity as a destination, Tellez
sees it as another step toward something bigger.
“You need people around you who believe in the same vision
you have for yourself,” she continued. “I want to fight at
the highest level and eventually fight for a world
championship. I know that doesn't happen overnight, but I
believe we're moving in the right direction. This victory
was important, and now I'm excited to see what we can do
next.”
Boxlab Promotions President Amaury Piedra believes Tellez's
performance in Birmingham strengthened her position as a
rising contender and demonstrated that she is capable of
delivering when placed on a significant stage.
For Piedra, the ability to travel overseas and defeat a
quality opponent in her own country says a great deal about
where Tellez is headed.
“Reina did exactly what you want to see from a fighter who
is trying to reach the next level,” said Piedra. “She
accepted a difficult assignment, traveled to the UK, fought
Jessica Barry in her backyard and came home with the
victory. There were plenty of reasons for her to feel
pressure, but she handled herself like a professional and
performed when it mattered.”
Piedra believes the next phase of Tellez's career should
include even more meaningful fights.
“I absolutely believe another big opportunity is coming for
Reina,” Piedra continued. “A performance like this gets
people's attention. She showed that she can win away from
home, she can perform on a major broadcast, and she can
handle a quality opponent over 10 rounds. Now our job at
Boxlab Promotions is to build on that momentum and put her
in position for the biggest fights possible. I believe she
is getting closer to a major fight in the featherweight
division.”
The performance bonus was rewarding. Representing Team USA
was meaningful. Winning in another fighter's home country
was an important milestone.
But Tellez didn't go to England simply to create one
memorable night.
She wants the victory to become the beginning of the next
stage of her career.
“I enjoyed the win, and I'm thankful for the experience, but
I'm hungry for what's next,” Tellez concluded. “I want to
keep testing myself against the best competition available.
My goal is to become a world champion, and I believe this
fight moved me another step closer. Whenever the next
opportunity comes, I'll be ready.”
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