Bradley ‘The Sting’ Rea Discusses His Future Plans

By: Oliver McManus

Brad Rea has needed to be affected person for his large alternative. After build up on the small corridor scene of Manchester, Rea first featured on a Matchroom Boxing undercard in March 2020 and moved to 9-0 in breezy trend.

That present would show to be one of many final in the UK earlier than the pandemic intervened and it was 54 weeks later till Rea would have his tenth skilled contest.

The 23-year-old was drafted into the Matchroom ‘bubble’ for a bout with, fellow undefeated prospect, Lee Cutler (7-0). Having waited properly over a yr to be again in motion, Rea wasted no time in racking up the win with the combat lasting all of two minutes.

Reflecting on that bout, the middleweight instructed BoxingInsider.com, it was an expertise properly definitely worth the wait.

“Within the lead as much as the combat me and Blain (Younis, Rea’s coach) have been assured, we actually have been, that we have been going to win in fairly convincing trend. Plenty of youngsters in my place aren’t getting the prospect to field for the time being so, sure, I used to be joyful simply to be there however I used to be going to seize the chance with each arms.

I hit him with a nothing shot early on and you may see the shock in his face. Blain (Younis) instructed me to hit him onerous early on and he began to again up as quickly I’d obtained a pair pictures off. I noticed fairly early on that the early stoppage was going to be an possibility and as soon as his facial features modified I believed to place my foot on the fuel and look to get the combat completed.”

Each males have been ferociously assured all through the build-up however Rea felt Cutler was investing an excessive amount of in a shared sparring session from a few years beforehand. Lifting the lid on that, the 23-year-old conceded it had been an evenly contested spar however mentioned it highlighted simply how a lot he’d developed since.

“Me and Lee sparred a pair years in the past and it felt as if within the bubble and in his interviews he was basing loads off that spar. It was a superb spar nevertheless it was his final in a camp, one among my first days again within the fitness center and I used to be 20/21 on the time so it wasn’t something to learn an excessive amount of into. He appeared to be taking confidence from that however clearly, I’ve obtained loads stronger since that session and that confirmed on the evening.”

For a fighter who turned skilled on the tender age of 20 and rapidly settled into the routine of preventing as soon as each two months, the pandemic posed the primary alternative since his debut for a interval of reflection. Having secured the backing of Ricky Hatton, and coaching with Blain Younis, the three years since his debut has been a whirlwind of growth.

Nicknamed ‘The Sting’ Rea – due to his venomous punch energy and never a nod to his love of the Bee Film – the Stretford man has visibly bulked out since his debut. That progress, he mentioned, was partially all the way down to having the ability to spend extra time focussing on the finer particulars of the game throughout the pandemic.

“I’ve undoubtedly obtained far more mature within the ring since my debut. Each bodily the place I’m hitting tougher and in higher form however mentally the place I’ve been in a position to replicate and look fastidiously at what I’m doing. I’ve been in a position to work on areas I wouldn’t usually have the ability to dedicate an excessive amount of time to power and conditioning, for instance, that’s come on massively this previous yr. I’m extra adaptable than this time final yr and, truly, if the combat went on a little bit longer that’s what I hoped to point out individuals.”

That elevated maturity is equally mirrored exterior of the ring with the 23-year-old changing into a person in each sense of the phrase. He candidly admitted the previous twelve months have seen him ‘develop up an terrible lot.’

“Yeah, I’m undoubtedly at that stage the place you may say I’m beginning to ‘turn into an grownup’ and (I’m) doing extra grown-up issues round the home. I’d be a superb little home husband, to be trustworthy, I’ve realized that over the previous yr: I can do something however ironing. That’s modified my mentality, although, the place I’ve began getting issues so as and I’m hoping that’s going to rub off within the ring.”

A combat being touted for when followers are in a position to return is between Bradley Rea and, widespread Stoke lad, Nathan Heaney. Heaney, with a file of 11-0, has turn into notorious within the UK for his passionate fanbase and viral ringwalk. It’s a contest that guarantees to be an insatiable Stoke vs Manchester rivalry and one which Rea is keen to make occur.

“Once I turned professional, it was these type of fights, with the massive environment, that I needed to be a part of. Nathan is a big-ticket vendor, I can shift a number of, and it’s an excellent conflict of kinds to welcome the followers again. Whether or not it’s in Stoke, Manchester, or wherever it actually doesn’t matter to me: it’s a combat that opens up numerous doorways for the winner and it may solely be entertaining for the followers.

I’m a little bit bit youthful and a little bit bit extra skilled than quite a lot of middleweights however I’m elevating a number of eyebrows. I’m only a younger, pale face, skinny, lanky ginger child and if individuals need to take confidence from that then they’ll get a shock once we get within the ring and I’m punching them within the face.”