I used to be a Six Nations rugby star but now I’m working in security at Tyson Fury fights
A FORMER Wales star has swapped the rugby pitch for a high-profile security job – which involves working at Tyson Fury events.
Lou Reed hung up his boots in 2017 after getting fed up with the wear and tear the gruelling sport had on his body.
The former Scarlets and Cardiff star now passes the time by being a heavy for Lyons Den Security security firm, which is part of former heavyweight champion Fury’s wider security team.
During an appearance on the BBC’s Scrum V podcast, he told former team-mates Alex Cuthbert and Ellis Jenkis: “I’m a medical salesman, for now, and a little bit of security.
“It’s quite broad, it’s quite different but it seems to have helped me with the transition [from rugby], which is daunting for anyone.
“When I called it a day on my career, I sent a couple of emails out.
“I was actually in Morgan Stoddart’s rental home in Aberporth, and I sent an email to a guy from Bridgend who was in charge of Wimbledon security.
“I was then on the tennis courts at Wimbledon, a complete baptism of fire because I had no experience on the radio.
“These guys are military trained on the radios, they know everything about everything and there was me on Court Three with all the top seeds, trying to work out where I fit in.
“But it served me well, keep it light and wing it and you’ll be surprised how far you can go.
“I’m [now] part of Tyson Fury’s security team, the wider security team.
“We work closely with the Riyadh Season over in Saudi Arabia and if there’s work in the UK, we also jump in and do that. We travel the world.”
Reed’s primary gig is looking after iconic announcer and boxing Hall of Famer Michael Buffer, who he’s developed a good relationship with.
He said: “My exclusive job in Saudi Arabia is to deal with Michael Buffer, the ring announcer.
“How that came about was someone needed a break and the door was empty, so I was told to stand on the door.
“He came out and we started chatting, light-hearted. It’s very difficult sometimes in security because you’re there to do a really serious job, but you can be diligent and light-hearted, you’re easy to be around.
“I think I went above and beyond really, because that’s how I like to treat people.
“I made him feel good and got the rota for his day and tried to stick to it and communicate with him.
“Essentially, I would walk him to the stage, he’d do his announcing and I’d walk him back to his car, keep fans who were a bit overzealous from getting on to him, and that would be my week.
“There’d be a press conference where he would be announcing it and I’d stand at the side of the stage, there would be weigh-ins, where the boys would stop the fighters from getting at each other.
“Some do it for the camera but others are genuinely that passionate.”
It’s been seven years since former lock Reed, who played for his country in the Six Nations, announced his retirement.
But his new job sometimes reminds him of the life he left behind aged just 30.
He continued: “For the night itself, I get to the arena and walk him into the ring, down the actual fighters walk.
“It’s in a stadium so I get that rugby feel, I really do.
“I don’t struggle from not playing rugby but it’s really nice to dip your toe in now and again.”