If Regis Prograis’ plan unfolds as designed, he’ll get a title unification combat by the tip of his three-bout cope with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
The primary combat of that contract is scheduled for Saturday evening in Prograis’ hometown of New Orleans. Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs) will make his first protection of the WBC tremendous light-weight title towards Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla (17-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round foremost occasion DAZN will stream from Smoothie King Heart (8 p.m. EDT; 5 p.m. PDT).
The closely favored Progais has his longer-range sights set on IBF junior welterweight champ Subriel Matias. Matias (19-1, 19 KOs) gained the then-vacant IBF 140-pound championship by stopping Argentina’s Jeremias Ponce (30-1, 20 KOs) after the fifth spherical February 25 at The Armory in Minneapolis.
“The plan is we’re gonna combat in New Orleans first after which Texas the second time, San Antonio or possibly even Houston,” Prograis informed BoxingScene.com. “In all probability [against] a Hispanic fighter. After which after that, I might assume to go for the belt. [Hearn has talked] to Matias and I believe that’s the route that I’m gonna go, attempt to get that belt.”
The 34-year-old Prograis has been criticized for signing with Hearn’s firm and DAZN over Bob Arum’s High Rank Inc. and ESPN as a result of the robust southpaw may’ve fought the winner of the Teofimo Lopez-Josh Taylor combat or longtime goal Jose Ramirez had he picked High Rank. Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs), who beat Taylor by unanimous choice on Saturday evening in New York, Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) and Ramirez (28-1, 18 KOs) are all promoted by High Rank.
Matias has fought on Premier Boxing Champions’ playing cards the previous three years, and his subsequent combat can also be going to happen with PBC – on August 26 towards for world champion Sergey Lipinets.
Matias’ promotional standing is unknown. It was properly reported that he was a free agent and exploring his choices for the previous couple of months, however information broke on Friday that he accepted PBC’s supply to face Lipinets. It has not been established if the settlement is a part of an even bigger multi-fight cope with PBC or if Matias will stay a free agent within the aftermath of that protection.
“I heard Matias name me out once I was nonetheless going by the entire Probellum disruption,” Prograis stated in reference to his former promoter. “However I couldn’t actually say nothing about him then. After which I used to be a free agent, so I needed to be quiet. However, , Eddie informed me, ‘[Matias is] a free agent and we’re attempting to get him. That’s a combat for you.’ And I used to be like, ‘All proper.’ And that’s form of one more reason I signed with Eddie, as a result of that’s a combat that I need.
“I actually really feel like moreover myself, he’s probably the most harmful folks at 140 proper now. And I like challenges. I do need that combat. So, like I stated, after this combat I don’t know who Eddie will need me to combat. However the third combat I believe shall be Matias, , in a unification combat. I don’t know for certain, however that’s what I’m pondering.”
Matias impressed Prograis by the way in which he beat Ponce, however Prograis identified that the hard-hitting Puerto Rican champion has much more to show.
“I believe he’s fairly good,” Prograis stated. “I don’t assume he has the resume but. I don’t assume he’s fought a reputation to actually be up there with me. He doesn’t have that resume but, however simply him style-wise, I believe he’s up there.”
Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He may be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
