WBO Super-Lightweight Champion Teofimo Lopez has offered advice to fellow 140lbs title-holder, Regis Prograis, as he prepares for his clash with former undisputed lightweight king, Devin Haney.
Haney became the undisputed champion after unifying his belt with those of George Kambosos Jr back in June 2022 and would defend the belts in an immediate rematch with the Australian just four months later
He further cemented his status with a close and somewhat controversial victory against former pound-for-pound superstar, Vasily Lomachenko, earlier this year.
Now, Haney has made the decision to move up to the super-lightweight ranks in pursuit of further greatness. His first task is fellow American, Regis Prograis.
Ahead of the contest, Lopez sent Prograis some tactical words of wisdom in an interview with ES News.
“For Regis, if he is listening right now, you have got to bully him bro. He has pillow hands, take the shots and whatever, you can put your head down and let him hit you on the top of the dome and break his hand. Little s**t like that, smart, dirty tactics is going to win that fight with him.”
“If he doesn’t do that, Haney is already scripted to win the fight, it makes him look good. He is the next ‘Dream’ in the ‘American Dream’, the hope for America, and that’s not even about hate, you have just got to see it as what it is, look at what happened with Lomachenko!”
“With that being said, Regis, you are the underdog, despite being the champion, don’t think that you are going to do something because you have been in the game and been at that weight. Remember, you have been at that weight since 2018 and you had a hard time making that weight back then.”
“Take him out bro, so then we can make a good fight, because Haney don’t want to do it!”
Prograis-Haney takes place on December 9 in San Francisco, topping a high-profile bill live on DAZN.