Regis Prograis says he’d prefer to resume his 12-year skilled profession, presumably at 147, after shedding to defensive artist Jack Catterall by a twelve-round unanimous choice final Saturday night time on the Co-op Dwell Area in Manchester.
Prograis (29-3, 24 KOs) states that he’s been at 140 his total profession and desires to maneuver as much as welterweight to strive that. He had needed to turn into a three-time mild welterweight champion, however after shedding to Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs), he feels that transferring as much as 147 is likely to be the best choice, in need of retiring.
In hindsight, it was a foul transfer on Prograis’ half to struggle a defensive fighter like Catterall, who’s a lightweight model of Shakur Stevenson together with his retreating fashion of preventing. Prograis had already misplaced to finesse fighter Devin Haney final December, who used quite a lot of motion and holding to neutralize his offense.
Selecting Catterall was silly. If that’s all Prograis’ promoter Eddie Hearn supplied him, he ought to have declined the provide and sat inactive as a result of preventing Catterall harm his profession. Prograis nonetheless has extra to present, however he must be extra strategic about the kind of fights that he takes. When Hearn supplied Prograis a struggle in opposition to Catterall, he ought to have stated no to the match. That’s not the kind of fashion that Prograis has ever finished effectively in opposition to.
Catterall is an efficient fighter, however he’s a primary runner with a Shakur fashion and could be very beatable. He would have misplaced to somebody who might chase him across the ring and entice him into preventing. He’ll possible lose to IBF mild welterweight champion Liam Paro in 2025 if he’s the one he faces for that belt. Paro is defending in opposition to Richardson Hitchins subsequent on December seventh in Puerto Rico.
“Possibly give it a strive at 147. I’ve been at 140 my complete profession, and I get older. I’ve at all times needed to placed on weight, and I stayed at 140 for a very long time,” stated Regis Prograis to Boxing Information, discussing the opportunity of transferring as much as welterweight after his loss to Jack Catterall final Saturday night time.
“So, perhaps it’s time to go as much as 147. We’ll see the way it occurs. I’ve been pushing my physique for a very long time, however now, I believe it will be time to go up. I needed to be a three-time champion, however now, perhaps it’s time to go up and put some measurement on my physique. That’s what I’ve been doing for a very long time. I’ve been making 140 since I turned professional [in 2012].
“So, perhaps me and Josh [Taylor] can do one thing at 147, however I’m not fearful about preventing proper now. I’m going to return to the drafting board and see what I do. I believe this is likely to be my final struggle at 140. I actually needed to be a three-time champion, however typically, it may not be for you. Proper now, it may not be for me. So, both go as much as 147 or do one thing else,” stated Prograis.
Taylor can be a superb choice if Prograis containers him as a result of he did effectively when he stayed on the surface within the second half of their struggle in 2019. The place Prograis struggled was when he tried to struggle Taylor on the within within the first half of the competition and obtained chewed up.
“However as everybody is aware of, I alter my thoughts each three seconds. So, I’d say one thing tomorrow, ‘I’m going again to 140.’ It relies upon. We’ll see,” stated Prograis.
If Prograis does select to proceed, he ought to goal WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios as a result of he can beat him. Barrios is a slugger, and he doesn’t run across the ring like Catterall and Haney. He’ll come to struggle Prograis, which might be a wonderful matchup.
Prograis must work on his cardio as a result of he misplaced steam on the midpoint in opposition to Catterall and gassed out in his losses to Haney and Josh Taylor.
