Glenrothes Boxing Club ace Reo Martin lands 'magnificent' GB silver medal

The GB Three Nations event – held at David Ross Sports Village on June 15 and 16 – saw the young Fifer excel over three one-and-a-half minute rounds but then suffer the heartache of defeat at the judges’ hands.

"There were loads of good punches in the fight,” Reo, a 13-year-old Glenrothes High School pupil, told the Glenrothes Gazette. “Billy landed a good couple on me and I landed a good couple back, it was a back and forward contest.

"At the end of the fight I wasn’t sure who was going to get the verdict. I thought I had done enough to win it but I was down in England so I did think: ‘Could the judges be a bit biased or could they not?’

"Coming back with a silver medal for my country is still a good thing. But a lot of folk from home said the fight could have gone either way against a tough opponent.

“Billy’s dad was a pro boxer and Billy now has a great record of 29 wins from 30 fights.”

Reo’s dad John, the manager of Glenrothes FC, said: “Myself and Leanne (John’s wife) are really proud of Reo because he puts a lot of hard work in, he’s dedicated, watches what he’s eating, weighs himself every day and sacrifices going out with his pals.

"For him to get picked and represent his country was magnificent.

"The boy he was fighting against had won the English Championship two or three times and had won a European silver medal, so he was much more experienced as that was Reo’s first time competing in international boxing. But Reo held his own.

"I thought he won the first round, maybe got caught a couple of times in the second round and the third one was really close.”

Reo’s fight season will end at the William Wallace Box Cup at Stirling University, in the first weekend of July.

The youngster is doubly determined to land a 54kg gold medal there, having been controversially denied the 50kg title at the same event last year when he lost on a split decision despite his camp claiming he had landed more punches in the final than opponent Liam Boyd.

"I’ve been in the final of that twice before, winning it once and being robbed in the other one, I’m going to make it a double win now,” he added.