BRAD LUCK

Things are finally looking up for Rea

- by CHRIS MCKENNA

BRAD REA would have been forgiven for giving up on boxing over the last six months.

The Manchester fighter has had a rotten run of bad luck after two big opportunities disappeared on him.

Rea, 27, was due to get a lucrative slot on the undercard of Dmitry Bivol’s rematch with Artur Beterbiev in Saudi Arabia last February until his opponent pulled out.

It would have been a huge chance for him to shine on one of the biggest stages in the sport and a far cry from the small hall shows he'd been fighting on since a defeat by Tyler Denny in 2022.