Regis Prograis likes Josh Taylor’s chances against Teofimo Lopez.
The recently crowned WBC 140-pound titlist from New Orleans offered his thoughts on the upcoming title bout between the WBO champion Taylor of Scotland and Brooklyn’s Lopez. Their promoter, Top Rank, will stage the fight on June 10 in New York City.
“Taylor is big, tall, and I think he’s mentally strong,” Prograis told ESNews. “I think style-wise Teo is better, but I think Taylor’s too big, too aggressive. Taylor talks a lot of sh!t. He’s gonna get in [Lopez’s] head for sure.”
Taylor-Lopez was a surprising development on the boxing calendar because Taylor had been virtually locked into a rematch with England’s Jack Catterall for nearly a year. Taylor defeated Catterall via points in February 2022, but the decision was heavily criticized and prompted cries of corruption. Their rematch, which had been postponed numerous times, was supposed to be scheduled for March 4, but in January, it was revealed that Taylor had suffered a torn tendon in his foot.
Since then, the WBO ordered Taylor to fight Lopez, the top contender - and Top Rank finalized the fight.
Prograis is no stranger to either fighter. The skilled and hard-hitting southpaw lost narrowly on points to Taylor in their 140-pound unification bout in the final round of the World Boxing Super Series in 2019. Prograis has repeatedly stated his desire to fight Taylor again.
Prograis, who became two-time champion last year with a stoppage win over Jose Zepeda to win the WBC strap, has gone back and forth with Lopez on social media.
After dropping a decision to George Kambosos Jr. in their lightweight unification bout in 2021, in one of that year’s biggest upsets, Lopez made his 140-pound debut last year against Pedro Campa, earning a seventh-round stoppage. His last fight was in December, a close, if underwhelming, points win over Sandor Martin at Madison Square Garden.
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