By Keith Idec
Regis Prograis’ promoter is sure the unbeaten knockout artist is about to become “a big star.”
Lou DiBella considers Prograis the best 140-pound boxer in the sport and the type of compelling figure who will secure more fans as he gets greater exposure. That process starts Saturday night, when Prograis, who evacuated New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, will fight in his hometown against Argentina’s Juan Jose Velasco.
Their 12-round, 140-pound title fight will headline an ESPN broadcast from Lakefront Arena in New Orleans (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT). The 29-year-old Prograis (21-0, 18 KOs), who holds the WBC interim super lightweight title, is a heavy favorite over the 31-year-old Velasco (20-0, 12 KOs).
“I think Regis is the best 140-pounder in the world,” DiBella said during a recent episode of “In This Corner” on ESPN+. “He’s a tremendously interesting kid, doesn’t watch TV, reads incredible numbers of books. He’s really a scholar. The guy reads about war. He’s a boxing historian. He doesn’t watch a lot of the new stuff that’s out. He doesn’t watch every fight televised.
“But he can tell you about every fight Sugar Ray Robinson had, that Joe Ganz had. He goes out, he watches tapes. He’s got power, he’s got charisma, he’s got personality. I think the kid’s gonna be a big star.”
Prograis dropped former IBF/IBO/WBA champ Julius Indongo four times in his last fight. The powerful southpaw’s second-round stoppage of Namibia’s Indongo (22-2, 11 KOs) on March 9 in Deadwood, South Dakota, earned Prograis the WBC’s interim 140-pound title.
If he overcomes Velasco, Prograis will enter the World Boxing Super Series’ 140-pound tournament, set to begin in September.
“He’s got a very good trainer in Bobby Benton,” DiBella said. “And they’ve been together a long time – they’ve got a great relationship. But a lot of what Regis has, you don’t train for. You’re born with it. I think he’s the best 40-pound fighter in the world. And that’s why we are fighting this guy Velasco. He’s gotta get past the kid. The kid can punch. He’s one of these Argentinean guys who hasn’t lost and can punch. He’s not in Regis’ league, I don’t think.
“But there’s always that danger when you’re in with a puncher. Always that danger also when you have big things planned ahead. And he is going to go into that World Boxing Super Series that’s gonna have the IBF likely in it, the WBA belt, the WBO belt and Regis will carry part of the WBC belt into that tournament.”
ESPN’s two-bout broadcast will begin Saturday night with lightweight prospect Teifimo Lopez (9-0, 7 KOs), of Davie, Florida, against Brazil’s William Silva (25-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-rounder. The action will shift to ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET for another two-fight telecast, which will feature Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) against Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs, 1 NC), the WBA world welterweight champ, in the 12-round main event from Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
