Kali KO Reis
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
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Born on August 24, 1986 in Providence Rhode Island, Kali “K.O” Mequinonoag Reis is the first mixed Native American Female World Champion Boxer. Raised in a single parent household by her mother Patricia “ Gentle Rain”, she is the youngest of five children. Mequinonoag, meaning “Many Feathers, Many Talents” is her Native American name given to her by her mother. Kali’s mixed background includes lineage from the Seaconke Wampanoag and Cherokee tribes as well as ancestry from the Cape Verde Islands. Kali and her siblings are very close and she wanted to do everything her big brothers did. Proclaimed as a “tomboy”, Kali was an athletic child often playing sports and rough with the neighborhood boys. Patricia Gentle Rain, who is currently the Medicine Woman of the recovered Seaconke Tribe, has always been heavily involved in their Native culture. Kali grew up eager to keep her strong connection to her Native roots thriving and competed at Pow Wows frequently from a young age.
Kali started her trial with sports at age 7 with softball and basketball. In Jr. High & High School Reis continued with athletics adding Volleyball to her roster and also participated in school bands. Kali picked up her first pair of gloves at age 13 as a way to cope with trauma and anger issues. She learned the basics from a friend of her Mother, Domingo Tall Dog, and later found Manfredo’s Gym in Pawtucket RI with her father where she continued her training. Later she began to train with Dr. Roland Estrada, father of 2004 Olympic Heavyweight Jason “Big Six” Estrada, who quickly adopted Kali as one of his own. She competed in more than a dozen sanctioned and unsanctioned matches as an amateur. While training Kali attended college for Criminal Justice/Science and also became certified as a Motorcycle/Small Engines Technician after enrolling in and completing a technical program. Only winning a few amateur Titles, Reis didn't gain much amateur experience due to the lack of opponents and opportunities in her area. She made the decision to turn Pro in September of 2008 and won her debut by 2nd round KO.
Reis started her Pro career slowly, only having one bout in each of her first three years in the professional ranks. Reis continued training at Big Six Boxing Academy in Providence Rhode Island owned by Jason “Big Six” Estrada and his father. She stated, "I hadn't been as busy as I wanted to be” and continued fighting with no management or promotion. On August 24, 2012 Kali was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which left her seriously injured and out of the Boxing scene. Months later while at work on light duty, Reis was assaulted by a Providence police officer and was re-injured. Kali managed to get through a very dark time and returned to the ring in November of 2013. Reis received her first ever title shot and fought for the WIBA title against Virginia's Tori Nelson. Nelson defended her Women's International Boxing Association crown with a unanimous decision. However, through the fight Reis gained much respect in the sport. Kali was still navigating her way through the professional ranks with no manager or promoter. On November 12, 2014 Reis won the IBA crown defeating Teresa Perozzi in Bermuda. This fight was extremely special to Reis due to the historical aspect surrounding her Wampanoag ancestors who were taken to Bermuda during the slave trade. Kali’s first encounter with Germany’s Christina Hammer was May 2nd, 2015 for Hammers WBO Middleweight crown in Jena Germany. Kali's hard over hand right, left Hammer on the canvas almost unable to finish the 10th round, but the German Champ was allowed to continue and retained her WBO title.
Kali’s older brother Andrew “ACE”, a musician and huge boxing fan himself, was diagnosed with Brain Cancer in Dec 2005 after suffering from a seizure at home. After numerous surgeries and the support of his family, Drew went into remission. Kali helped Drew gain his strength and coordination back by training in the boxing gym and he remained cancer free for eight years. “She forgets I’m her big brother and has no mercy on me in that gym. My sister is a beast!” said Drew to anyone who asked about training with his little sister. In April 2015 the cancer returned for a second time. Through countless treatments and doctors appointments, Kali stood by Drew's side and he was her motivation to keep fighting. October 2015, Reis made her 2nd attempt at a WBO title against Costa Ricas' Hanna Gabriels, hitting the road once again for Gabriel's Jr. Welterweight crown. Staying strong for her brother who was battling cancer once again back home, Kali put up a tremendous fight and it went the distance. The decision went to Gabriels on that rainy night in the outside arena.
Determined to get another title of her own Kali continued to fight. In February of 2016, Kali gained another strap around her waist defeating New Mexico's Victoria Cisneros in 30 seconds for the vacant UBF Middleweight World Title. On April 16, 2016 Reis won her first major world title in New Zealand against California’s Maricela Cornejo for the vacant Middleweight WBC World Title. Despite receiving zero compensation for the fight, Reis proudly returned home to her family being the only female fighter out of Rhode Island to ever win a WBC World title. Reis, still without any management or promotion, continued to fight and moved her way up to the #2 spot in the world as a Middleweight contender. Drew continued to battle with cancer for the third time in October of 2016.
In November of 2016, Reis was told by the WBC that she must meet Hammer in the ring in Germany to defend her WBC and unify with her WBO crown or they would vacate her title. With no coach and no choice, Kali meet Hammer for the second time. The two squared off on November 5th 2016. Working Kali’s corner was Brian Cohen and her cousin cruiser-weight Champion Matthew Godfrey. Reis came up short once again but walked away with a new team. Kali’s brother Drew passed away months later on February 7th, 2017. She dedicated her next fight on May 11th, 2017 to Andrew “ACE DIAMOND” Jay Reis, her “real life superhero” and keeps his memory alive fighting just like he did.
Cohen who has been managing female and male fighters for decades, started managing Reis. Godfrey still works her fight corner. With new management,experience and greater knowledge, Reis became extremely busy. On November 25, 2017, Reis gained an action packed UD over former heavyweight Tiffany Woodard aired on NESN. The fight was promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. Impressed by fan's response and Kali's professionalism in and outside of the ring, Reis was signed to Star Boxing as their first female fighter. Reis relocated her training camps to South Philly to train at Joe Hands Gym with trainer Danny Davis. On May 5, 2018 Reis went head to head with undisputed WBC WBO WBA IBF & IBO Welterweight Champ Cecilia Braekhus on the first ever women's fight aired on HBO in the 45 years they have been in the boxing business as the co-main event of the GGG vs Vanes card. The fight was viewed by over 1.1 million and Reis managed to knock the champ down in the 7th round with a hard over hand right; this was a “first time ever “ for Braekhus' career. The fight was a technical battle with non stop action where Reis hurt and caused Braekhus to stumbled in the 8th and 9th rounds. The decision went to Braekhus but not without a sea of “boos” from the Carson California crowd. Braekhus promised a rematch to Reis in front of millions of loyal boxing fans. Kali walked away from that fight a winner and a permanent part of boxing history.
Kali got right back into the ring following the historic fight with Braekhus on a whole new elite level riding the wave of improvement and determination. On June 30th Reis made her second appearance on NESN as part of Star Boxing's “Slugfest” at Mohegan Sun” against Mexico's Paty Ramirez, as the co-main event. Reis put on a great fight landing countless body and head combinations gaining her a unanimous shutout decision on the 8 round fight.
Reis has been working as a residential counselor for young girls since 2010 and uses boxing to help with coping skills. She currently works for St. Mary's Home For Childrenin Rhode Island and has hopes of running her own “safe haven” for youth focusing on the rising suicide and obesity rates especially targeting the youth in Native Country. Kali also frequently attends schools and events as a motivational speaker to speak about her life and various topics that target the youth. Reis doesn't plan on retiring anytime soon but definitely has future plans of acting, modeling, and motivating the next generation to live their best life and stay true to who they are. Kali is using her boxing life experiences as a platform to set a positive example of “it’s not what you have been through that defines you..it’s who you become through the process of moving forward...learn the lessons” for people of all ages and walks of life. Her FIGHT 4 ALL NATIONS logo is something she describes as a reminder to herself andothers as to why she continues to fight.