Kali Reis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kali Reis
Reis in 2024
Statistics
Nickname(s)	K.O. Mequinonoag
Rated at	Light welterweight Welterweight Light middleweight Middleweight
Height	5 ft 8 in
Born	(1986-08-24) August 24, 1986 (age 38) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	27
Wins	19
Wins by KO	5
Losses	7
Draws	1

Kali Reis (born August 24, 1986) is an American professional boxer and actress. She has been a world champion in two different weight classes. In 2016, she held the WBC female middleweight title. From 2020 to 2022, she held the WBA, WBO, and IBO female light welterweight titles. She also competed for the undisputed female welterweight title in 2018.

In 2021, Kali Reis started her acting career. She starred in the thriller film Catch the Fair One. For her role as a boxer trying to find her missing sister, she was nominated for a special acting award. She also starred in the mystery TV series True Detective: Night Country in 2024. Her performance earned her nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Critics Choice Award.

Early Life and Background

Kali Reis was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on August 24, 1986. She was the youngest of five children. Her mother raised her and her siblings in East Providence. Kali has Cape Verdean heritage and is also a member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe. Her mother gave her the name Mequinonoag, which means "many feathers" or "many talents." Kali uses this name in her boxing nickname, "K.O. Mequinonoag."

Growing Up and Sports

As a child, Kali was very athletic. She often played rougher sports with the boys in her neighborhood. In junior high and high school, she was part of the marching band and color guard. She also played volleyball, basketball, and softball for her school teams.

Kali started boxing when she was 14 years old. She trained at Manfredo's Gym in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. A local Native American boxer, who was a friend of her mother, also coached her at home.

Education and Early Career

After high school, Kali studied criminology. She wanted to become a corrections officer for young people. She also learned how to fix motorcycles at MTTI. She continued her boxing training at Manfredos Gym and Big Six Boxing Academy in Providence.

Before becoming a professional boxer, Kali had a successful amateur career. She won the 2007 Rocky Marciano Championship and the 2007 NYC Golden Gloves. She also won the 2006 New England 154 Championship. While starting her boxing journey, she also worked in nightclub security.

Professional Boxing Career

In 2012, Kali Reis was in a serious motorcycle accident. This kept her from boxing for the rest of that season. However, she made a strong comeback in 2014. In November of that year, she fought for the WIBA title. This match helped her gain more attention in the boxing world.

On November 12, 2014, Kali won the IBA crown. She defeated Teresa Perozzi in Bermuda. Besides her own boxing, Kali also coaches young boxers. She works as a trainer, helping others learn the sport.

In April 2016, Kali Reis won her first major world title. She fought in New Zealand against Maricela Cornejo. She won the vacant WBC World Middleweight title.

On May 5, 2018, HBO broadcast its first women's boxing match. It was between Cecilia Brækhus and Kali Reis. Brækhus won that fight.

Throughout her professional career, Kali Reis won a total of 19 fights. Five of these wins were by knockout.

Acting Career

Kali Reis got involved in the movie Catch the Fair One after the filmmaker Josef Kubota Wladyka learned about her work. Kali supports the MMIWG movement, which focuses on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The filmmaker asked her to help write the story and star in a film about this important topic.

Catch the Fair One was shown for the first time in June 2021. This happened at the Tribeca Film Festival. The movie and Kali's first acting performance received great reviews from critics.

Kali Reis was also cast in the 2023 film Asphalt City. This movie starred famous actors like Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan.

In June 2022, it was announced that Kali Reis would be a main star in True Detective: Night Country. This is the fourth season of HBO's crime series. Kali starred alongside Jodie Foster. They played detectives investigating the disappearance of eight men from an Alaskan research station. They also looked into a possible link to an earlier murder of a young woman.

Awards and Recognition

For her role in Catch the Fair One, Kali Reis won the Jury Award for Best Actress. This award was given at the 2021 Newport Beach Film Festival. She was also nominated for Best Female Lead at the 37th Independent Spirit Awards. In 2024, Kali Reis made history. She became the first Native American woman nominated for a Primetime Emmy for acting. She was nominated for her supporting role in True Detective.

In February 2022, Kali Reis was honored for her achievements as an athlete. She was also recognized for mentoring young people in her community. She was inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletic Hall of Fame. In the same year, she received the "Misty Upham Award" at the Red National International Film Festival. She was also given a key to the City of East Providence. On March 28, 2024, the Rhode Island House of Representatives recognized Kali Reis. They gave her the Community Hero Award for her support of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement. The award had a special message: "She needed a hero, so she became one."

Personal Life

Kali Reis is married to Brian Cohen. He is a retired professional boxer.

She is a strong supporter of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) movement. This movement works to raise awareness and seek justice for Indigenous women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered.

Professional Boxing Record

Filmography

Movies

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2021	Catch the Fair One	Kaylee	Also helped with the story
2023	Asphalt City	Nia
2025	Rebuilding		Finished filming
2026	Mercy		Finished filming
TBA	Wind River: The Next Chapter		Finished filming

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television Shows

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2024	True Detective: Night Country	Evangeline Navarro	A short series
TBA	12 12 12		Upcoming series

See also

• List of female boxers