For many in boxing, competitors have tunnel focus on the most imminent opponent — the challenger who is real, who can take their standing in the sport away from them with one slip in training camp, or, indeed, in the ring itself.
And two-time super lightweight world champion, Regis Prograis, appears no different.
A 37-year-old veteran, Prograis has been in the ring with Josh Taylor, Jose Zepeda, Devin Haney, and JoJo Diaz, to mixed results. And he fights once again April 11 against Zuffa Boxing signing Conor Benn in a co-feature for the Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov main event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on Netflix.
Victory against Benn — arguably the best-known British fighter outside of Fury and Anthony Joshua — could catapult Prograis back to prominence.
And so Ring Magazine COO Rick Reeno asked Prograis what could be next for him, should he rip up the script, overcome the underdog odds, and defeat Benn in just a couple of weeks time. Could Prograis, for instance, take the fights that Benn wants to navigate towards should he win — namely, blockbuster bouts against Ryan Garcia or Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero?
“It’s boxing, nothing is ever guaranteed” that those fights would go from Benn to himself, Prograis said. “But, for sure, I feel like … gimme, I get what I want. I say what I want, I get what I want. People think I’m hard to deal with, but if you don’t get it to me, whatever. I’ll figure it out after this.”
One thing is clear, though, is that Prograis wouldn’t have to necessarily fight Benn for a second time — like what Chris Eubank Jr. had to, because of a rematch mandated through a clause in their bout agreement. In this fight, no such clause exists. “Not on my end [or his],” he said. “I don’t think so.”
Before Benn, Prograis Had Barboza And Bare Knuckle Options
Prior to the Benn fight, Prograis had other options — from a fight against Arnold Barboza, who recently beat Kenneth Sims Jr over 12 rounds, to Frank Martin, who remains on the comeback trail after a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis, a knockout win over Rances Barthelemy, and a draw with Nahir Albright in his last three fights. There was even interest in upstart sport bare-knuckle, too.
“I stayed in the gym, training,” Prograis told Reeno. “I told my manager, ‘You tell me what’s going on, that’s what’s going to be’. I came out here to get away, train, I heard about the Barboza thing, he texted me on Instagram saying, ‘Get ready’. [But] I heard it probably wasn’t going to happen.
“I know they offered a Frank Martin fight on three weeks’ notice. They called me for this. After Frank Martin, I didn’t know what they was going to offer me. I just felt something was going to happen.”
And just how substantial were the talks with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship — the premier bare-knuckle firm with big ticket fighters like Austin Trout, Leonardo Perdomo, and David Mundell?
“I have a connection with them through my friend Austin Trout, he’s a champion in bare knuckle,” said Prograis. “I really wanted to do it but boxing just pays more than bare knuckle, MMA. It’s something I did want to do, and maybe down the line. Now, it’s like I have a lot left in the tank for boxing.”
Prograis fights Benn on April 11 during a Netflix card.
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