Regis Prograis faces Jack Catterall at Co-op Live in Manchester, England on October 26. NOLA’s former two-time champion is set to go through the British contender and earn his next title shot.
Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) looks to get back in the win column after he lost his WBC super lightweight title by unanimous decision against Devin Haney last December. Going up against Jack Catterall, the 35-year-old makes his second ring appearance in the UK. The Houston-based southpaw dropped a majority decision against common opponent Josh Taylor five years ago in London.
“This is a fight I wanted, we were supposed to fight a long time ago, but it didn’t happen for whatever reason,” Regis Prograis said at the pre-fight press conference. “I felt that they didn’t want to fight, I think that you Eddie [Hearn] backed them into a corner.”
“But it’s a big fight, the best at 140 lbs without the belts. I’m just feeling super calm, confident and relaxed about everything. I don’t even feel like I’m away from home to be honest. Everybody here has been so nice. I expected people would be more hostile, I expected the crowd to talk s*** to me. But no-one has said anything.”
“Jack and I have some similar opponents. But you take Josh Taylor off of his resume and what does he have? Nothing. Take Josh from mine, and I’m still a two-time world champion. I’m going to go out and show that there’s levels and that skills pay the bills.”
“When I was a world champion it was kind of like ‘what is there left to do?’ When I don’t have the belt I’m back hungry, back on my grind, I want to get that again. My goal is to be a three-time champion and nothing is going to get in the way of being three-time champion.”
“I plan on doing my thing. I’m not Muhammad Ali, I don’t predict the round. If I do what I’ve been doing in the gym, I don’t want to say ‘easy’, but it shouldn’t be what people say it’s going to be, no 50-50 stuff.”
Jack Catterall: Regis Prograis probably has the better resume
Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) took revenge on Taylor in Leeds, England in May. The 31-year-old British southpaw targets his fourth straight victory and secure his first opportunity to fight for one of the major belts.
“We spoke after the last fight [against Josh Taylor] and you [Eddie Hearn] said that we could get a world title shot in 2025, and I’ve been in the position before where I’ve been waiting on something that might not happen,” Jack Catterall said. “So my instruction to Sam Jones and to Matchroom was that I want to fight the best and Regis was the name proposed and we jumped at it.”
“The chapter with Taylor is done, we move on, and we’ve got a big job on Saturday. I think Regis is right in saying that his last two performances weren’t his best, so he’s in a position where he needs to turn up, and I put the pressure on myself to perform Saturday be in his position. He’s had his time in the sun, he’s boxed for world titles, he’s won world titles, and that’s what I want.”
“He probably has the better resume, as I’ve yet to win a world title and he has. But I’m ready to prove that on Saturday.”
“I’m expecting Regis to come with everything he’s said in the build up. We’ve seen his fights, he’s a strong fighter and will come looking for it but I’m the better boxer.”
Prograis and Catterall square off in the scheduled for 12 rounds bout at super lightweight. The vacant WBO International title is on the line. The contest serves as the main event on DAZN.