SAN FRANCISCO – Regis Prograis was forced to evacuate his hometown of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina 18 years ago.

The WBC super lightweight champion moved to Houston to live with relatives and made the best he could of that life-altering ordeal. The left-handed knockout puncher didn’t take up boxing until he was 17, late for fighters, yet he still became a two-time champion who has earned several seven-figure purses.

From Prograis’ perspective, he already accomplished much more than anticipated. That’s why Prograis isn’t the least bit concerned about oddsmakers who have installed Devin Haney as a 4-1 favorite to beat him Saturday night at Chase Center.   

“It don’t insult me or motivate me,” Prograis told BoxingScene.com. “I’m self-motivated, so like for me, I just don’t worry about that. I don’t worry about the outside world. It don’t matter. I already beat the odds. Look where I’m at right now. I beat the odds already, so this little 4-1, that’s nothing for me.”

Prograis (29-1, 24 KOs) is convinced that his last subpar performance is the primary reason Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) is such a significant favorite entering their DAZN Pay-Per-View main event.

The hard-hitting Prograis dropped Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla (17-2, 13 KOs) in the third round, but judge Craig Metcalfe scored their fight for the challenger, 114-113, on June 17 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Judges Josef Mason (117-110) and Robert Tapper (118-109) scored it for Prograis, who won a split decision.

“[The odds are] because of my last performance, for sure,” Prograis said. “If I would’ve blasted Zorrilla out in one or two rounds, it wouldn’t be like this. But in boxing, you’re only as good as your last performance. So, they’re looking at that and that’s what they’re thinking. I don’t understand it, but it is what it is. It’s cool.”

The prideful Prograis has taken exception to the notion, though, that he is a limited power puncher whom Haney can convincingly out-box.

“I think a lotta people underestimate my speed,” Prograis said. “People say, ‘Oh, he’s a power puncher.’ But they forget how fast I am. And they say I just have a left hand, but they forget that it’s set up by a right hand. So, obviously, a lot of my knockouts come from my left hand because it is set up by the right hand. I think he’s definitely gonna feel like he made a mistake as soon as it starts gettin’ rough in there for him.”

Prograis, 34, and Haney, 25, will headline a four-fight DAZN Pay-Per-View show scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). DAZN subscribers can buy it for $59.99, whereas it’ll cost non-subscribers $74.99.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.