Forget Josh Taylor, Regis Prograis Is The Pivotal Fight In The Career Of Jack Catterall

October 22, 2024
4 months
Jack Catterall and Regis Prograis fight in Manchester, England on Saturday

When Jack Catterall eventually hangs up his gloves, he will probably be best remembered for his rivalry with Josh Taylor.

The English fighter was on the receiving end of one of the worst judging decisions of the 21st century when he first fought Taylor in February 2022. Despite appearing to dominate much of the bout, sending Taylor to the canvas, and the champion getting a point deducted, two judges still scored the fight for Taylor. One somehow calculated it 114-111; that judge, Ian John Lewis, was demoted from A-Star Class official to A-Class.

To make matters worse, the result denied Catterall a potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become an undisputed world champion. It sparked widespread outcry throughout the boxing community and calls for a rematch were inevitable and immediate.  

After various delays, the rematch took place more than two years later – and in May this year, Catterall finally earned a measure of revenge. It was bittersweet, though; Catterall got the win he (and many others) felt he deserved the first time, but there were no world titles as reward.

Catterall Wary Of ‘Dangerous’ Prograis

There were still plenty of upsides from Catterall’s perspective. The win over Taylor put the 31-year-old southpaw right in the mix among the world’s top super-lightweight contenders, and he is surely one win against a title-chasing rival away from challenging for a major belt.

That opportunity will come on Saturday in Manchester, England when Catterall (29-1-0 13 KO) faces former world champion Regis Prograis (29-2-0 24 KO) in their rearranged bout. The pair were scheduled to fight in August before Catterall sustained an injury, forcing the event to be pushed back to this weekend.

“He’s dangerous,” Catterall told Boxing News. “He’s a former two-time world champion with a lot of knockouts. He is a phenomenal fighter but by his own admission his last two performances have probably not been his best. So his back is against the wall but I am expecting him to come and want to put on a performance.

“He’s got that motivation to potentially become a three-time world champion and so the pressure is on him to perform. Likewise I put that pressure on myself. I want to perform, I want to be dominant and I want to beat him to put myself in a better position. Regis is tough, he will want to come forward but I think his style sits perfectly with mine.”

Catterall On Brink Of World Title Shot

Two-time champion Prograis, who has held the WBA and WBC world titles, enters Saturday’s bout with plenty to prove himself.

The New Orleans native has not fought since December last year when he was on the receiving end of a total shutout by Devin Haney in San Francisco. Prograis has repeatedly raised complaints about Haney’s rehydration for the fight, accusing his opponent of breaking the agreed limit and entering the ring weighing 165lbs.

While that might have partly contributed to the loss, Prograis was so utterly dominated in every department by Haney that the additional weight can’t be blamed for everything.

The way Catterall is aiming to use Prograis as a crucial stepping stone towards world title opportunities, Prograis will be aiming to use Catterall in just the same way, making this fight about as high stakes a non-title fight can be and the most important challenge of Catterall’s career.

Catterall will expect for a victory over Prograis to propel him straight into a world title fight. The British boxer is ranked No 2 with both the WBO and WBC, third with the IBF and fifth with the WBA. Prograis, meanwhile, is seventh with the WBO, IBF and WBA.

Prograis ‘Getting Back To My Groove’

Catterall is being priced as a fairly comfortable favorite against Prograis – perhaps surprisingly – but the 35-year-old American insists that his below-par performance against Haney was a one-off and not a reflection of his fading powers.

“Right now is the perfect time. This is the biggest fight you could make at 140 without the belts being on the line, so I think it’s the perfect time for me and him to finally make the fight happen,” Prograis told The Ring.

“I just wasn’t me, I think Devin is a good fighter, I don’t want to make excuses, I had the worst night or my career and he had the best,” he added in reference to his defeat to Haney. “I feel l am getting back to my groove being me and what got me to the top in the first place. If that Regis shows up, it won’t be a hard night.”

So, in Manchester on Saturday, two fighters with genuine world title ambitions will collide. The winner will no doubt challenge for a major belt imminently while the loser will be left to evaluate his future. It’s all set for a cracker at the Co-op Arena.

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