Five 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.”
