Regis Prograis has finally responded to escalating rumors he was carrying an injury into the welterweight fight with Conor Benn on April 11 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in London, England, atop a Spencer Brown card on Netflix.
The former Super Six World Boxing Series finalist was a surprise opponent for Benn, considering the British slugger had just left Matchroom to join Zuffa Boxing in a one-fight deal reportedly worth $15 million, however, from everything Eddie Hearn has said, the British promoter seemingly believes it will, really, be one fight of many.
Another thing Hearn recently commented on was whether Prograis was injured despite his date with Benn on Saturday.
Seemingly backing internet speculation, Hearn said recently: “He’s badly injured.”
Well, Prograis has now broken his silence.
He told Sean Zittel and Radio Rahim in a joint interview that there is “nothing going on with me … I don’t even know where that came from.”
He said: “Maybe somebody out there is trying to stop the fight or whatever and they saying things like that, but nothing going on with me.”
“I’m good. I’m good to fight, for sure.”
Prograis then spoke, specifically, on Hearn’s comments. “Eddie said, ‘Oh, he’s injured, he’s this.’ Like, why would Eddie go and say that? What’s the purpose? Why is he trying to do it? Maybe because Eddie did promote both of us and so he’s not in this, so maybe that’s why.”
Though Benn is riding the high of his rematch win over Chris Eubank Jr., and carries the pressure of a perception now that he’s a face of Zuffa Boxing, Prograis, unfazed, does not regard this as a passing-of-the-torch kind of fight.
“I just feel like I’m a better fighter,” he said. “If you look at our resumes, if you look at everything — he’s not better. Me coming up [in weight] will make a big difference.
“I do feel better, feel stronger. I can train way longer right now. Weight or no weight, no matter what’s going on, I do feel like I’m better.”
