{{short description|English boxer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox boxer | name = Harry Reeve | image = HarryReeve.jpeg | image_size = | caption = | realname = Harry Isaacs | nickname = | weight = Middleweight, light heavyweight | height =5' 8" | reach = | nationality = British | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1893|01|07}} | birth_place = St. George's Hospital, London, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1958|12|10|1893|01|07}} | death_place = | style = | total = 153 | wins = 81 | KO = 23 | losses = 50 | draws = 20 | no contests =1 | medaltemplates = }} '''Harry Isaacs''' (7 January 1893 – 10 December 1958), better known as '''Harry Reeve''', was a British middleweight and cruiserweight boxer who was British Cruiserweight champion in 1916. At the time, the cruiserweight division was referred to as light heavyweight.
== Early life and career == Born in St. George's, London and based in Plaistow, Essex, the Jewish Isaacs fought under the name Harry Reeve and made his professional debut in 1910. Undefeated in his first 18 fights, he suffered his first loss in January 1912, to Harry Rudge, starting a run of nine fights where he won only two and lost five. He hit another winning streak in mid-1912, and despite a mixed record in 1913, got a shot at the vacant British middleweight title in February 1914 against Pat O'Keeffe, who won a points decision after 20 rounds.<ref>{{cite news |title=O Keefe Champion |work=Daily Mirror |date=24 February 1914 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19140224/163/0016| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="BoxRec">{{cite web|title=Harry Reeve Boxing Record|url=http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/38140|publisher=BoxRec|accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="BoxRec Bio">{{cite web|title=Harry Reeve Boxing Bio|url=http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Harry_Reeve|publisher=BoxRec|accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref>
Reeve moved up to light-heavyweight and beat British heavyweight champion Joe Beckett in December 1914 in a non-title bout.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
A run of eight straight wins in 1915 and 1916 led to a fight for Dick Smith's British light-heavyweight title on 30 October 1916 at the National Sporting Club at Covent Gardens. Reeve won on points over 20 rounds to take the title and the Lonsdale Belt, gaining momentum in the last three rounds of the close bout.<ref>Took the Lonsdale Belt in "Boxing in England", ''The Age'', Melbourne, Australia, pg. 10, 1 November 1916</ref> He relinquished the title before defending it. Light heavyweight division is usually classified as cruiserweight today.<ref>Came from behind in last three rounds in "A Championship Match", ''Gazette'', Montreal Canada, pg. 15, 14 November 1916</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Boxing |work=Gloucester Journal |date=4 November 1916 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000532/19161104/006/0001| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=News item |work=Daily Record |date=31 October 1916 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19161031/084/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Reeve had already reached the rank of Lance Corporal in his service in WWI prior to winning the light-heavyweight title.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
Reeve served in the 7th Middlesex Regiment and Military Police during his service with the British Army in the First World War.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sergt. Major Dick Smith v. Lance-Corpl. Harry Reeve |work=Newcastle Journal |date=31 October 1916 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000569/19161031/064/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>Harris, Clive & Whippy, Julian (2008) ''The Greater Game: Sporting Icons Who Fell in the Great War'', Pen & Sword Military, {{ISBN|978-1844157624}}, p. 141</ref> Before completing his service, he suffered a leg wound that hampered his subsequent career.<ref>"[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120304459 McGoorty Defeats Harry Reeve]", ''The Referee'', 21 May 1919, p. 13. Retrieved 4 October 2014 (via Trove)</ref>
After the war, Reeve returned to boxing, losing to Joe Beckett in January 1919 after a fifth round stoppage. He continued to fight until 1934, his post-war career including losses to Bombardier Billy Wells,<ref>{{cite news |title=Bombardier Wells Knocks Out Reeve |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=27 January 1920 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000327/19200127/047/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Eddie McGoorty, Mike McTigue, Gus Platts,<ref>{{cite news |title=O'Kelly v. Gus Platts |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=27 January 1927 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19270127/042/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and Phil Scott,<ref>{{cite news |title=Two Wins for Phil Scott |work=Dundee Courier |date=17 June 1927 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19270617/140/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> draws with Scott (at the Royal Albert Hall in 1924) and Reggie Meen, and several fights against Senegalese fighter Battling Siki.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harry Reeve v. E. McGoorty |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=13 May 1919 |accessdate=4 October 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19190513/149/0009| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="Runstedtler">Runstedtler, Theresa (2012) ''Jack Johnson, Rebel Sojourner: Boxing in the Shadow of the Global Color Line'', University of California Press, {{ISBN|978-0520271609}}, p. 237</ref> He finished with a record of 79 wins from 150 professional fights.
== Life outside boxing == [[File:East London Cemetery 20191223 104222 (49263586972).jpg|right|thumb|Reeve's grave in the East London Cemetery]] Reeve married Ethel Sophia Stone in 1912, eventually having twelve children. He died on 10 December 1958.<ref name="BoxRec Bio"/>
==See also== *List of British light-heavyweight boxing champions
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{BoxRec|id=38140|name=Harry Reeve}} {{British boxing}} {{boxing}} {{boxing History}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reeve, Harry}} Category:1893 births Category:1958 deaths Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Havering Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:Middlesex Regiment soldiers Category:Royal Military Police soldiers Category:Jewish English sportspeople Category:Light-heavyweight boxers Category:Middleweight boxers Category:Jewish boxers Category:English male boxers Category:Boxers from the London Borough of Havering Category:People from Hornchurch Category:20th-century English sportsmen