![Reid Gray is a national champion and has a new nickname to boot. Picture by Zac Lowe. Reid Gray is a national champion and has a new nickname to boot. Picture by Zac Lowe.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/c6b1436d-5930-4d12-b198-ccd0295cc885.jpg/r0_160_3716_2720_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After less than a year training in boxing, Reid Gray already has a number of remarkable achievements to his name.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
And the relentless, bloody-minded mentality for which he has become known in the ring has spurred One2Boxing Westside head coach, Jamie Carroll, to bestow on him a nickname: the Tamworth Terrier.
It seems the moniker was formally coined during the recent Australian Amateur Boxing League Titles in Tasmania, where Gray picked up a gold medal in the 32kg sub junior division.
"Coming in against that kid [in the first round], he just outworked him," Carroll said.
"He's half the size and he just gets in there and does his thing, the Tamworth Terrier, and comes away with the victory."
Standing at a tick over four feet tall and barely 30 kilograms dripping wet, Reid has always had to work around height and size disadvantages in his fights.
But after a win on NSW debut in Tasmania last month, Gray felt more confident of his chances in Hobart over the weekend.
"I thought I could [win], but I was very nervous," Gray said.
Those nerves disappeared once he got in the ring, however.
![The One2Boxing Westside contingent (from left) included Reid Gray, Mace Everleigh (who trains with Black 'n' Blue Boxing in Gunnedah), Rohan Martin, and Jarrod Denman. Picture by One2Boxing Westside. The One2Boxing Westside contingent (from left) included Reid Gray, Mace Everleigh (who trains with Black 'n' Blue Boxing in Gunnedah), Rohan Martin, and Jarrod Denman. Picture by One2Boxing Westside.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/75486d70-bd4a-4bc8-9444-293800997cfa.jpg/r0_0_1440_1125_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After the 12-year-old overcame his first opponent, Charlie Gregson, by decision, he came up against the highly-touted Nate Maxfed in the final.
"In the final he came up against a really skilful Queenslander, who was really confident of beating Reid after that first fight," Carroll said.
"The determination, which I think he gets from being the smallest kid playing rugby league ... he just has this determination to win, and he produced it on the night."
So enthralling was Gray's performance that the crowd even started barracking for him throughout.
And it didn't take him long to spot a technical weakness he could exploit.
"He always dropped his hands to throw an uppercut, so I just stepped away from it," Gray said.
The young man soon earned another decision victory to claim his first national medal.
He was the only one of the One2Boxing contingent to do so, as Rohan Martin claimed silver in the 80kg junior division, and Jarrod Denman fell just short against his first round opponent.
Both men, however, did their coach proud and put on classic fights.
"Rohan came up against another really good kid from North Queensland [Terrence Hookey]," Carroll said.
"Both boys were very clinical and skilful for big guys."
Martin was unlucky to lose a decision, Carroll said, and he thought the same of Denman's bout.
"Jarrod put on probably one of the best amateur heavyweight fights that I've seen," he said.
"He took it to a very experienced and much bigger Victorian. I felt he'd done enough, but he lost. And that's just boxing."