Tensions boil over as shock title fight sweetens the deal in Ahmad Reda’s pursuit of Harry Garside

One of the most highly anticipated domestic grudge matches may have just taken another step closer after a shock title fight offer.

Ahmad Reda’s hopes of fighting Harry Garside received a huge boost after the 22-year-old Sydneysider was sensationally promised an Australian lightweight title fight with Billy Polkinghorn if he beats Patrick Lilly this Wednesday on the Sam Goodman vs Cesar Vaca undercard.

Reda has been hunting a rematch with Garside for nearly two years, and stole the show at Monday’s press conference after his backers put up a big-money, winner-take-all offer for Garside to fight him.

Garside, who fights Queensland’s Charlie Bell on Wednesday in his first professional bout in three years, turned down the offer, saying: “If he brings something to the table that I want, then 100 per cent we can fight.”

Harry Garside has been hounded relentlessly by Ahmad Reda. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

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Just minutes later, while mid-interview with Code Sports, Reda got word from his manager, Peter Mitrevski, that a win over Lilly will see him catapulted into an Australian title fight with the 4-0 Polkinghorn.

Which, according to Reda, should be enough of an incentive for Garside to finally rematch him.

“We put $100,000 on the line for Harry to fight – winner take all – but he doesn’t seem too keen on fighting,” Reda told Code Sports. “Put something on the table? He was going to get either a box of nail polish or one hundred thousand dollars, so we’ll see what he wants.

“They just said Billy Polkinghorn next for the Australian title.

“We’ll get this guy (Lilly) out of the way, we’ll get Billy out of the way, then we’ll see what’s next.

“Whatever (Garside) wants, we’ll offer it. Come and fight me, you little pussy.”

Reda has been on the warpath demanding a rematch with Garside ever since his points loss to the Tokyo bronze medallist at the Paris Olympic trials in 2023.

Now 5-0 as a professional, Reda’s team then offered $50,000 for a fight just days after Garside’s heartbreaking first round exit in Paris.

On Monday, that offer was upped to a winner-take-all $100,000 as a war of words broke out between them.

“The guy sits there like a little cat, doesn’t say nothing back,” Reda said. “The amount of times I say his name, he’s just going to sit there and duck the fight.

“It’s clear, everyone can see it. Brother, come and fight me!”

Garside (L) fights Charlie Bell on Wednesday. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

Reda even addressed Garside’s forgotten opponent.

“My little sister hits harder than him,” he told Bell of Garside. “You can fight him with your hands down.

“This boy’s scared, for real.”

Garside laughed off Reda’s trash talk, saying the undefeated boxer is just using his name for clout.

“I’m sure we’ll fight in time, I’m not against it, I’m not running from it, but he hasn’t bought anything to the table,” Garside said. “At the moment he has nothing that I want, and I would just be helping his career by my name.

“The disrespect he’s shown, I can’t be bothered with that.

“I’m here to fight Charlie Bell on Wednesday night.”

This masthead rated the Garside-Reda rivalry as one of Aussie boxing’s biggest feuds last year, and a showdown between them is one of the hottest domestic grudge matches that can be made.

But even then it’s not set in stone, with the unbeaten Polkinghorn rated one of the best rising stars in the country.

Billy Polkinghorn is one of the best rising stars in Australia Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

Born in England and now living in Brisbane, Polkinghorn is recovering from surgery after tearing his biceps in February, but could be back as early as August.

“Billy, I rate him as a fighter, he’s solid,” Reda said. “I heard he’s got a little injury, but hopefully he makes it back soon and we can get it on.

“Then the winner of that fights Harry.

“Even though both of us – me and Polkinghorn – both of us smash Harry.

“They want me to fight Billy, I’ll fight Billy. They want me to fight whoever, I’ll fight whoever.

“These guys aren’t at that level. You guys line them up, I’ll knock them down.

“I’m knocking these guys out of the way, but I want these top dogs.”

Originally published as Tensions boil over as shock title fight sweetens the deal in Ahmad Reda’s pursuit of Harry Garside