Photo Credit:  Courtesy/Kali Reis

Kali "KO Mequinonoag" Reis, a native American female fighter from Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Ries has lived in Rhode Island, since birth and she is the youngest of five "talented" children.

Reis told WBAN, "My mom raised me as a single parent and we attended, as well as competed, Native "pow wows" regularly. Everyone in my family is involved with either sports or music or both.   I grew up a rough, tough and determined girl; playing tackle football with all the neighborhood boys, wresting, fighting, building forts and anything else that would potentially get me hurt or in trouble!"

Reis also played basketball/softball in leagues since she was five years old to Junior High school and High School.

"I was involved in the schools bands/marching bands and color guard and also played high school volleyball. As far as school work went, I was an A/B student and had no problems passing but, I had a smart mouth that was running 24/7 and a "I don't care, you can't stop me" type of attitude. I was knighted the class clown early on and wouldn't back down from anything or anyone. This lead to a few suspensions and a permanent seat in detention," said Reis.

Reis has been in the boxing world since the age of 15.  She always wanted to get into boxing but never knew where to go around here area and had never really heard of any gyms. "I guess I thought it was just in the cool areas like in the movies," added Reis.

Reis said, "A friend of my mother,  Domingo "Talldog", a local Native pro fighter, started teaching me the basics of boxing at my house in a storage room a couple of times a week and eventually put up a bag. I learned quickly and would practice what Domingo taught me every second that I could.   At that point the flame was lit and I was already wanting more. Still not satisfied with just our private lessons, I wantedto hear a bell, hear other fighters training, see other fighters sparring, sweat, bleed, hear trainers, feel the energy of a REAL boxing gym and learn everything I could about this tough sport."

"Talking to a friend/cousin the summer before my senior year in high school I learned that she had been involved with kick boxing and boxing with her father and trainer Orlando Valles for a while and was training at Manfredo's Gym in Pawtucket at the time.  I went to the gym on a very hot July afternoon to check it out and when I walked in I  saw exactly what I wanted to see.   I talked to the owner, father of local providence fighter Peter Manfredo Jr., Peter Manfredo and his initial assumption for me wanting to join was that I just wanted to workout"

"He told me that 'if I were you, I would much rather be at the beach enjoying my summer.  You don't want be here working out in this heat with all these sweaty guys!' I just looked around and saw a number of fighters wrapping up, jumping rope, hitting heavy and speed bag, shadow boxing in the ring, sweating profusely, working hard and thought "this is it"! Peter showed me around introduced some fighters and explained that he had a class that ran for about 90mins every Tues. & Thurs. After taking it all in, I gave him my info, a hand shake and was out the door."

"Filled with excitement, I spoke to Orlando about starting to train with him and his daughter. I began going to the gym with him and his daughter Kristin a few times a week in the summer and then everyday after school. We would take the classes on the designated days and run through what we learned on the other days as well as spar each other. Peter quickly noticed that I was serious about wanting fight and catching on quick and started paying more attention to me. It took no time for him to tell me he wanted me to fight. I started sparring other guys in the gym and about a month later I was fighting on a amateur show at his gym against a 30 yr old kickboxer. It was one of the most intense moments of my life! I did good but got a bad bloody nose in the process. All that did was push my determination to the ultimate level. I trained harder longer and wanted to learn. I started to train with Peter on a regular basis.

Star Boxing press release - April 29, 2018 - "To understand a fighter like Kali Reis, you must first understand the person, Kali Reis. Born on Aug 24, 1986 in Providence, Rhode Island, Kali's roots stem well into American history with her Native American heritage.

The name "Mequinonoag", which she carries into the ring with her for every fight, was bestowed on her as her Native American name. Kali explains that the name was, "given to me by my mother, she is the medicine woman of our Seaconke Wampanoag tribe. It means "May Feathers", or "Many Talents." Kali is a proud, mixed Native warrior women.

Carrying the Native Warrior blood of the Cherokee, Nipmuc, and Seaconke Wampanoag tribes, the Providence-born fighter started boxing at the age of 14 out of Manfredo's Gym in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Prior to turning pro, Reis had a brief, but successful amateur career, securing a variety of achievements such as the 2007 Rocky Marciano Championship, the 2007 NYC Golden Gloves at 154 pounds, and the 2006 New England 154 Championship.

Professionally, Kali has already attained three world titles. In 2014, she TKO'd Teresa Perozzi to win the International Boxing Association Female Middleweight Championship. Two years later in 2016, Reis earned a vicious first-round TKO win over Victoria Cisneros for the Universal Boxing Federation World Female Middleweight title. In that same year, only two months later, the Rhode Island fighter went the full distance in a 10 round war with Maricela Cornejo, winning a clear unanimous decision victory to earn the WBC World Female Middleweight belt.

One of her most impressive performances came against a tough Tiffany Woodward in November. Entering the ring to a traditional Native American display, the Providence Warrior went toe-to-toe with Woodward, creating constant uproars from the packed crowd resulting in her earning a six-round unanimous decision victory at Mohegan Sun Casino, and easily the fight of the night. Catching the eye of renowned New York boxing promoter, Joe DeGuardia, Reis was immediately signed to Star Boxing Inc..

Joe DeGuardia had this to say about signing Reis, "After watching Kali put on a truly impressive performance at Mohegan Sun in November, I knew she deserved to be signed, and that a big fight would be on the horizon." DeGuardia continued, "We are extremely happy to get Kali a fight of this magnitude, as the first ever female to be a feature fight on HBO, and we know that fans will gravitate to her style, and persona, in and out of the ring."

On May 5th at the StubHub Center, Kali will enter the ring, just as she always does, in a traditional Native American display, literally carrying her Native American pride on her sleeve.

However, with this entrance, history will be made. Kali aims to upset the apple cart, defeat Braekhus and secure the four most prestigious championships in the sport (IBF, WBO, WBA, WBC), which are all held by the women considered to be the best boxer in the world today, the undefeated, undisputed welterweight champion, Cecilia Braekhus. With a win, Kali will immediately establish herself as one of the greatest decorated female boxers of all time.

Braekhus vs Reis is the co-feature bout to the main event of Golovkin vs Martirosyan airing on HBO, May 5th, live from the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

On Saturday night on Cinco de Mayo, May 5, 2018, multi-world welterweight champion, Cecilia "First Lady" Braekhus of Bergen, Norway entered the ring Saturday night, holding five of boxing's most prestigious titles that include the WBC, IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO. Across the ring was Rhode Island's own, Kali "KO Mequinonoag" Reis, a former WBC women's champion, using her underdog role to fuel a potential career altering victory.

Before a punch was thrown on Saturday at the StubHub Center by either women, the few inches between Braekhus and Reis were historic. The bout will be remembered as an action-packed fight from start to end, but more importantly, the first ever women's bout televised on HBO, and it certainly did not disappoint.

In the opening round of the ten-round championship bout, Braekhus tried to imposed her will, using a lively jab, in combination with a sharp and strong right hand to score on Reis. The early rounds were close, but it seemed that Braekhus was controlling the pace. However, in the sixth-round, Reis garnered her "Native Warrior" strength, and took matters into her own hands.    Full Story

Reis with boxing manager Brian Cohen - Courtesy photo

October 18, 2018, at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington D C. Reis, 15-7-1 5KO's, was back in action on Thursday night, October 18th, at the Mayflower Hotel, in Washington D.C., in a private event---taking on tough Hungarian, Szilvia Szabados, now 18-13 9KO's.   Full Story

On August 29, 2019, at the Foxwoods Resort, Reis, 142,  won a six-rounder by a unanimous decision over Patricia Juarez, 142. The final judges scores were 60-54.

In the year of the Pandemic, on November 6, 2020, at the St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater, in Saint Petersburg, Kali Reis, 139¼, of Providence, Rhode Island, won a ten-round unanimous decision over Kandi Wyatt, 139¼, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The two were fighting for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Title. Final judges scores were 93-97, 94-96, and 92-97.  

As of December 20, 2020 Reis' boxing record is:  17-7-1 (5KO).