Conor Benn never dreamed he would share the ring with Regis Prograis – even when he fought on the undercard of Prograis’ fight with Josh Taylor in 2019.
Taylor-Prograis – the final of the junior-welterweight edition of the World Boxing Super Series – represented not only one of the fights of the year but also perhaps remains both fighters’ defining fight.
Benn fought on the undercard that evening when at welterweight he stopped Steve Jamoye in four rounds, and for all that Taylor and Prograis were competing at a level he continues to strive for there wasn’t once a time that the young Benn – matched with Prograis at a catchweight of 150lbs on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Arslanbek Makhmudov – aspired to fight them himself.
Taylor narrowly outpointed Prograis that evening in the process of proving himself one of Britain’s finest fighters, but it is Prograis, at 37 years old, who continues to fight.
Benn, also of Britain, is a significant favourite for the occasion of his high-profile, one-fight date under Zuffa Boxing at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but even at a time when it is tempting for him to reflect on having almost come full circle, he expected an occasion of its nature to remain beyond his reach.
“Did you think I’d cross paths with [Chris] Eubank?” Benn asked BoxingScene. “Prograis – he weren’t even on my radar in the slightest. He was the first name that got mentioned to me, and I said ‘Yes’ straight away. It was without even a question. I was sitting down. ‘What about Prograis?’ ‘Yeah, sweet – no problem, if you can get him.’ And then the fight got made.
“Boxing’s a funny old sport. If you’ve got two arms and two legs… we’re even more in the day and age where I could fight Jake Paul tomorrow. We’re moving in this stage in boxing where, if you’ve got two arms and two legs, you could fight anyone at any weight. I’ve just gone up to middleweight. I’ve been at middleweight for the past three years. I’ve been walking around weighing 175lbs, and now I’m back down, after three years, fighting at my natural weight of three years ago.
“You’ve just got to go with the flow of your career. I’m just happy I was disciplined and I was ready to take it on six weeks’, seven weeks’ notice.
“I was on the undercard, but I can’t remember it. I’ve not really followed Regis’ career. I haven’t really followed Taylor’s career. I never watched it.
“I don’t really recall it. I remember the press conference was funny though, ‘cause [Derek] Chisora was piping up, and he had no care in the world that it was number one fighting number two, and said he’d squash Regis. I remember that – I don’t really remember much about the fight. I remember being on the undercard. A lot’s happened in my career since then, so you’re talking seven years ago – a lot’s happened since then.”
Asked how good Prograis – widely considered to be at his peak the night he fought Taylor, and last a world champion in 2023 – remained seven years on, Benn then responded: “We’ve seen in the past fighters make mistakes in counting someone out because of being in the game for a long time, and then they turn back the clock and then you’re the one paying the price. I’ve seen it so many times. Perfect example – Kiko Martinez. Good fighter. Old. But make no mistake, they’re former world champions for a reason. So we haven’t taken him lightly in the slightest, relevant of age, of whatever it is. But I do believe I [would have] beat him in his heyday, shall we say.
“He’s a great fighter. He’s been a great champion, and he’s a crafty southpaw. Experience is a big part. Durability. He can punch, and he’s a former world champion.
“There’s many holes as well that I’ll exploit. When we get in there on the night, we’re prepared for war. We’re prepared for boxing. We’re prepared for a game of everything in there, and I’ll beat him at everything he brings.”
The 29-year-old Benn, despite not having fought at welterweight since 2022, has been installed as the mandatory challenger to the WBC champion Ryan Garcia.
His profile in the UK and growing profile in the US means that, in addition to Garcia, he has also been linked with Devin Haney and the revered Shakur Stevenson, but Benn doesn’t believe that he needs a victory over Prograis to secure such a fight.
“I think the Benn name is familiar over there – not because of me, but because of my dad [Nigel] going over there and beating the champions,” he said. “The Benn name is familiar in boxing over there. Over here, I’m known commercially, which hasn’t yet hit America. But if you’re talking boxing in America, they’re familiar with the name over there. Obviously, the wins over [Chris] Van Heerden, [Chris] Algieri, [Samuel] Vargas were probably my three best performances – against three Americans.
“I think me fighting Regis is … listen, it was supposed to be Garcia for the WBC title. Do I hold out and wait until July, August, September and hope that he’s ready by then, or do I take a run out now? Do I take the risk? And I think it’s more thrilling and more exciting taking a risk in between.
“I’m mandatory for the WBC title anyway. It was just a matter of me wanting to hold out or not. Me not competing at welterweight for three years – it’s good for me to have a run out at the weight before jumping into 147 again.”
Declan Warrington has been writing about boxing for the British and Irish national newspapers since 2010. He is also a long-term contributor to Boxing News, Boxing News Presents and Talksport, and formerly the boxing correspondent for the Press Association, a pundit for BoxNation and a regular contributor to Boxing Monthly, Sport and The Ring, among other publications. In 2023, he conducted the interviews and wrote the script for the audio documentary “Froch-Groves: The Definitive Story”; he is also a member of the BWAA.
