Josh Taylor: record, next fight and profile →
By Cliff Rold - Unification is in the air. Currently there are at least partially unified titlists from 135 to 154 lbs. As the heart of the lineup for boxing’s seventeen divisions, it says a lot about the health of the sport. We never get all the best fights available but it’s an indication we’re getting a sizable fair share with unification at light heavyweight last...
Regis Prograis Training Photos Gallery - Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 KOs) got a first glimpse of the Muhammad Ali trophy when he looked in on The O2 Arena ahead of Saturday's World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Final against Josh Taylor (15-0, 12 KOs). (photos by Mark Robinson)
Derek Chisora Training Photos Gallery - Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 KOs) got a first glimpse of the Muhammad Ali trophy when he looked in on The O2 Arena ahead of Saturday's World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Final against Josh Taylor (15-0, 12 KOs)
From the moment the field was revealed for the World Boxing Super Series 140-pound tournament, the majority of boxing fans and insiders were certain that Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor would meet in the final round. To this day, that same camp remains torn on the outcome for their unification clash, which takes place Saturday evening at The O2 in London, England.
Regis Prograis promised Josh Taylor and any other doubter that he isn’t intimidated by Taylor and wasn’t the least bit scared to fight the Scottish southpaw. The delay in rescheduling their World Boxing Super Series final was related to his contract, according to Prograis, not a reluctance to battle Taylor in the United Kingdom. The 140-pound champions are set to fight for Prograis’ WBA title and Taylor’s IBF belt Saturday night at O2 Arena in London.
There are few in the sport as serious about their craft as Regis Prograis. But even the unbeaten junior welterweight titlist has his limits. “For me, it’s all about my kids.” Prograis (24-0, 20KOs) noted during a recent segment of ‘Road To London’ documenting his journey towards the Oct. 26 140-pound title unification bout versus Josh Taylor at The O2 in London, England. “For me, it’s about going back to my old days when I was little, about like what my parents did for me as a kid.”
Amir Khan (34-5, 21 KOs) has told Boxing Scene that he believes his next fight will take place early next year. The former WBA and IBF super lightweight champion has made two appearances in 2019 but now plans to enjoy the rest of the year with his family before returning to training in 2020.
WBA super lightweight champion Regis Prograis’ confidence is peaking at rocket-high levels as he inches closer to stepping into the ring against IBF titleholder Josh Taylor in a unification fight.
Tis’ the season for unification. In a one-month span, a handful of divisions in the sport will have coronated unified champions to join an elite pack of pugilists. On Sept. 28, Errol Spence Jr. unified the welterweight division by beating Shawn Porter, and he now holds the WBC and IBF titles. On Oct. 18, Artur Beterbiev knocked out Oleksandr Gvozdyk and now sports the WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles.
Kalle Sauerland, Chief Boxing Officer of the World Boxing Super Series, breaks down the delicate Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 KOs) vs Josh Taylor (15-0, 12 KOs) Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final at The O2 in London on October 26.