Regis Prograis signs with Matchroom Boxing, 1st defense set
Defends 140 title vs. Liam Paro on June 17 at home in New Orleans
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WBC junior welterweight titleholder Regis Prograis, the most notable fighter on the free agent market, has signed with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, they announced on Saturday night during the Canelo Alvarez-John Ryder card.
Prograis, who was with Hearn at the event in Guadalajara, Mexico finalizing the deal, will make his first title defense in the first fight of the agreement when he faces Liam Paro, another Matchroom Boxing fighter, on June 17 at the Smoothie King Center in Prograis’ hometown of New Orleans. The fight will headline a card on DAZN.
Terms were not disclosed but the deal is for three fights with base purses of $1.25 million for the first fight, $1.5 million for the second and $1.75 million for the third, although they could rise for the second and third bouts depending on the level of opponent, a source with knowledge of the deal told Fight Freaks Unite.
“We got the No. 1 star in the 140-pound division, the WBC king, and June 17 we take him straight home for a big party and a huge night,” Hearn said during an interview on the Canelo-Ryder pay-per-view broadcast. “This man is the man to beat in the 140-pound division. Massive, massive signing for us. He’s one of our top fighters. We’re gonna make him a huge star.”
Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs), a 34-year-old southpaw, won the vacant WBC 140-pound title by 11th-round knockout of Jose Zepeda on Nov. 26, a win that made him a two-time titleholder.
As a free agent, Prograis drew interest from various promoters, including Top Rank, which is loaded with top names in his division, including lineal/WBO champion Josh Taylor, former unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez, former unified junior welterweight titlist Jose Ramirez and unbeaten contender Arnold Barboza.
However, Prograis, who is managing himself after recently parting ways with longtime manager Sam Katkovski, took Hearn up on his offer. Besides Paro, other junior welterweights on the Matchroom Boxing roster that could be future Prograis foes include Jack Catterall, Richardson Hitchins and Montana Love.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve been contemplating which move I should make next,” Prograis said. “I had a lot of good offers on the table. But I feel like Matchroom is the best for me. I just feel like it’s the right fit. From the beginning I had that gut feeling and it never left. I can’t wait to start this chapter in my career.”
By beating Zepeda, Prograis became a two-time junior welterweight titleholder. He stopped Kiryl Relikh in the sixth round in the World Boxing Super Series to win the WBA belt in 2019.
Prograis lost the belt in his first defense by majority decision to Taylor in a unification fight in the tournament final later in 2019 but has won four in a row by knockout since. Taylor vacated the WBC belt Prograis won last time out.
“I want to get a lot of big fights — Ryan Garcia, maybe Gervonta Davis and after I get some big fights I want to clean up the division,” Prograis said. “I do want to be undisputed by the time it’s all said and done. Gervonta and me had some words, Ryan said he wants to fight me. Josh Taylor rematch. I definitely want that; Rolly (Romero, (IBF titlist Subriel) Matias.”
None of the fights he mentioned are likely because they all fight for different promoters and on different broadcasters except Garcia, who is with Golden Boy but also aligned with DAZN.
Paro (23-0, 14 KOs), 27, a southpaw from Australia, is coming off his most impressive victory, a first-round knockout of countryman Brock Jarvis in October in his first fight with Matchroom Boxing. The fight with Prograis’ will be Paro’s second in the United States.
“I have been dreaming about fights like this my whole life,” Paro said. “What better way to make a mark on the 140-pound division than taking out the top guy. This is what it’s all about. I’m coming.”
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Prograis photo: Melina Pizano/Matchroom Boxing
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Daft that he didn't mention Catterall
Paro will take it up to prograis it will be a good fight