The match took place 20 October 1930 at Stourbridge, and although Reynolds was Welsh born, he was now boxing out of Wolverhampton in England, and rarely fought in his home country.
The bout, held in Reynolds' hometown of Swansea, was scheduled for fifteen rounds, but was stopped in the tenth when Rees was forced to retire with a cut eye.
He beat a fairly inexperienced Hal Cartwright, but then lost three straight bouts against Dave Crowley, Lefty Satan Flynn and Jimmy Walsh.
His first title defence for the Welsh belt was against Glen Evans at Briton Ferry on 9 November 1937; the fight ended in the ninth with Reynolds winning by knockout.
The match, held at the Pavilion in Mountain Ash on 4 April 1938, went the distance of fifteen rounds, with Reynolds losing the Championship title on points.