Once upon a time, Regis Prograis aspired to become a three-time junior welterweight titlist.
His goal instead shifted to achieving two-division-titlist status with a targeted run at welterweight. That vision is now paused as he prepares for, by far, his highest-profile assignment to date. It will come at a career-high 150lbs catchweight, one at which he never really pictured himself.
Then again, it’s a concession you make when you’re offered a lucrative showdown with Conor Benn.
“I feel like this fight is like a one-off deal,” Prograis told BoxingScene. “We’re doing it at 150. It's a one-off, you know. Let me just whoop on Conor Benn right quick for one little fight.
“Then, I'll probably go back to 147 and see if I can grab one of those belts.”
Benn-Prograis will serve as chief support to the Tyson Fury-Arslanbek Makhmudov heavyweight clash atop an April 11 Netflix event from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London.
The show will mark the third straight appearance at the state-of-the-art football venue for England’s Benn, 24-1 (14 KOs), who fought both of his bouts with Chris Eubank Jnr there. Both the location and weight give Benn every conceivable advantage in this matchup.
Prograis, 30-3 (24 KOs), fully expected to be at the mercy of the promotion. That said, the 37-year-old American southpaw still sought at least one edge before agreeing to terms.
“It ain’t take us but, like, two [or] three days to accept this fight,” Prograis explained. “The only thing we asked for was a weight stipulation. He put [a rehydration] clause on Eubank, so we got to thinking, why can’t we do the same?
“But they denied everything. We knew they would. He’s the draw over there, so I was just like, ‘Cool, let’s just take the fight.’”
Prograis hopes to be third-time lucky in the UK.
His previous two trips to jolly old England resulted in defeat, first in a heartbreaking loss to Josh Taylor in their October 2019 World Boxing Super Series finale between unbeaten 140lbs titleholders. It ended his brief WBA title reign, though he went on to claim the WBC belt in a November 2022 knockout victory over Jose Zepeda in Carson, California.
One successful defense followed before Prograis was dominated over 12 rounds by Devin Haney in their December 2023 DAZN pay-per-view headliner from San Francisco. The setback transitioned into an alarming two-fight skid after he was dropped and widely outpointed by Jack Catterall in their October 2024 crossroads clash in Manchester.
The fight was believed to be his last act at the time. Prograis returned, though, with a well-earned 10-round unanimous decision over Joseph “JoJo” Diaz last August 2 in Chicago.
At the time, not only was Benn nowhere nearly on Prograis’ radar, but he hadn’t even firmly thought about a move to welterweight – never mind heavier.
Benn was in the midst of firming up details for his eventual rematch with Eubank, against whom he dropped a 12-round decision in their thriller last April. Both fights with Eubank took place at middleweight, with Benn claiming a lopsided win in their second act last November.
The first step towards Prograis eventually landing on Benn’s radar came with an epiphany last December.
“I was at the Lamont Roach-[Isaac] ‘Pitbull’ Cruz fight – they was fighting for Pitbull’s [interim] WBC title at 140,” Prograis said. “I remember telling myself, ‘Bro, these guys look so small. No way in hell I’m making 140.’ I mean, if I put in the work, I’m sure I could do it. But – I just got to say it – I don’t want to make it no more.
“I had a dream a little bit ago that I had to make 140 – and it was a nightmare. So after that fight, I told myself I’ll go get one of those belts at 147.”
Welterweight is a red-hot and lucrative division now. Haney holds the WBO title, while Ryan Garcia, 25-2 (20 KOs) – currently one of the most bankable stars in the sport – recently claimed the WBC belt. Prograis was ringside for Garcia’s title-lifting effort over Mario Barrios at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and believed he found his next targeted foe.
Then came the chance to fight Benn – and the generous offer attached to the assignment.
“So we’ll see how this goes,” Prograis said. “I really don’t care about the weight. The only thing we brought up – aside from that weight stipulation I was talking about – was the obvious, the juicing, the steroids and stuff like that. But we doing testing, so I ain’t stressing over that.
“The weight don’t matter, fighting in England. I know I’m more talented than him. I’ve been at the world level for a while. He can come in the ring at 180 – shit, 200 pounds if he want. I just think I’m better than him. I’ve been No. 1 in the world.”
Prograis hopes to have the chance to once again achieve that status with a win over Benn. Then again, no belt is at stake for this fight, and a victory will represent by far his most notable win through 14 years in the pro ranks.
“Who knows, maybe I just fuck around and keep fighting at 150,” quipped Prograis. “I always told myself that I’ll go get a belt at 147 after this, but you know what? If it's a Regis Prograis fight, that's what people want to see. Don't worry about the belts and stuff. Maybe I’ll like this new weight, or maybe I go to welterweight.
“We’ll see. But after I whoop on this boy, then I’ll get to do what I want.”
