Elvir "The Kosovo Kid" Muriqi returns to the ring Friday, Dec. 8 against Derrick Reed, who is on a seven-fight win streak since losing a decision to Galen Brown on Dec. 8, 2003. Brown, at the time, had only one loss on his 11-bout ledger. While Reed has stopped six of his last seven opponents before the final bell, Muriqi has been extended the eight-round distance twice in 2006 since returning from a six-round decision loss at Madison Square Garden in April 2005. Although Muriqi had a 15-month layoff between losing to Oleksandr Garashchenko and returning to the ring this past July with an eight-round victory over Marlon Hayes (22-3, with 11KOs at the time), he told BoxingTalk.com he was busier than his official record would suggest."I beat 20 people in the streets and a couple of other things I’m not even mentioning," said Muriqi. "My confidence has grown even higher knocking people out." However, his two official wins inside the squared circle this year came by decision. It can be assumed he hopes to bring some of his street fighting power into his bout against Reed to end 2006 with a bang. Muriqi’s official record stands at 32-3 (19 KOs).
 

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