Regis Prograis has modified his tune about Jack Catterall after saying he was one of the best he had ever fought after shedding to him by a 12-round unanimous resolution final Saturday evening in Manchester, England. Prograis (29-3, 24 KOs) now says he made that comment as a result of he was within the UK and wished to be gracious after getting overwhelmed by the house fighter, Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) on the Co-op Reside Enviornment.
In an interview at the moment, the previous WBA and WBC mild welterweight champion Prograis mentioned that Catterall is NOT one of the best fighter he’s fought, however he’s “Higher than he thought” he was after having watched him on video earlier than going through him. Prograis states that Catterall is “awkward” and arduous to hit.
Regis says it was a simple combat for him till his coach advised him to begin preventing aggressively after the sixth spherical as a result of he was involved that they wouldn’t be capable of win a call towards the British fighter Catterall as a result of they have been within the UK. When Prograis started strolling to Catterall, he acquired damage within the ninth spherical and dropped twice.
In hindsight, Prograis needs he had continued to field Catterall as he’d been doing, however provided that he was within the UK, he felt he had no selection however to combat aggressively to make sure he acquired the win.
Prograis Dominated Early On
“Early on, I boxed him and it was straightforward with my jab. I used to be boxing him throughout the ring. The primary six rounds, it was straightforward,” mentioned Regis Prograis to Combat Hub TV, discussing what went incorrect in his loss to Jack Catterall final Saturday evening.
“Then my coach advised me, ‘It is advisable step it up. Be slightly extra busy.’ That’s once I acquired caught. As soon as that occurred, the combat form of shifted. My coach advised me, ‘We predict you’re up, however we’re over right here within the UK, and I feel you might need to do one thing else,’” mentioned Prograis.
It could have been fascinating to see if Prograis would have gotten the choice if he’d chosen to field Catterall the whole combat as an alternative of getting reckless and happening the assault. We’ll by no means know for positive, however Prograis was undoubtedly dominating the combat going into spherical 9. He’d dropped Catterall with a proper hand in spherical 5 and regarded in a powerful place to win heading into the ninth.
“That’s once I began stepping it up and strolling to him, and that’s when he caught me,” mentioned Prograis. “I used to be nonetheless was good; I wasn’t damage, however then I damage my ankle actual unhealthy. I twisted my ankle and my knee. My coach advised me, ‘It’s important to knock him out,’ however that was taking part in into his palms. That’s what he wished me to do.”
Prograis: Catterall NOT The “Finest I Confronted”
When Prograis went on that assault within the second half, Catterall took benefit of that in the identical means he did in his two fights towards Josh Taylor. Catterall is nice at fighters who assault however who don’t goal his physique. A very good Mexican fighter who can reduce off the ring and hit Catterall to the physique would convey him to earth.
In case you stroll towards Catterall, concentrating on his head, he does effectively towards that sort. Nevertheless, with an excellent chin that throws plenty of punches and may chase Catterall down, they’ll beat him as a result of he has no actual offense.
“They didn’t count on me to field him. He’s not one of the best I confronted. Let’s put it this manner,” mentioned Prograis. “He’s higher than I believed. You bought to the UK, and you’ve got a UK fighter; it’s a must to rattling close to knock him out. You may’t win a call. My coach advised me, ‘You bought to be busier.’ I believed I may knock him out. The one-two, he was actually good at slipping that. I couldn’t get to him.”
Catterall didn’t look that spectacular in any respect within the combat, however Prograis was too restricted when it comes to his chin, mixture punching, stamina and skill to chop off the ring to make the most of his flawed sport. There are plenty of fighters at 140, 135, and 147 that may feast on a restricted man like Catterall. Promoter Eddie Hearn has executed a superb job of defending Catterall from these fighters to maintain him from shedding.
Haney Possesses Extra Instruments
“He’s a greater fighter than I believed he was as a result of he’s very awkward,” mentioned Prograis. “Nah, I feel Devin has extra instruments,” mentioned Prograis when requested if Catterall is best than Haney. “I’d say I used to be a greater fighter on Saturday evening than I used to be with Devin. The Devin combat, it wasn’t me.
“For this combat, I used to be extra targeted and extra current. I can’t say who was higher. They’ve two completely different types. I can say Devin has extra instruments. Jack doesn’t have an excellent jab. He doesn’t have an excellent proper hand,” mentioned Prograis.
Haney regarded higher towards Prograis than Catterall did. There’s no comparability between the 2. Haney dominated Prograis the whole combat, dropping him and profitable a large 12-round unanimous resolution final 12 months on December ninth in San Franciso, California. The scores have been 120-107, 120-107, and 120-107.
