Jack Catterall advisor Sam Jones found himself licking his lips after Regis Prograis’ last performance.
Prograis, the WBC 140-pound titlist, made his debut under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing last Saturday night against Danielito Zorrilla at Smoothie King Center in Prograis’ hometown of New Orleans. Despite scoring an early knockdown, Prograis had a difficult time the rest of the way with the cagey Puerto Rican, whose movement and counters kept “Rougarou” off balance all night. In the end, Prograis won a split decision (118-109, 117-110), with one judge scoring it for Zorrilla (114-113).
Afterward, even Prograis had to admit he was not on his A-game, telling fans he would work harder in the gym. Hearn called it a “poor fight” but expects Prograis to be in much better form in his next outing. Prograis signed a three-fight deal with Matchroom.
One of his next two fights could be against Matchroom stablemate Catterall, the crafty southpaw from England whose loss last year to then undisputed 140-pound champion Josh Taylor was regarded as one of the biggest robberies in recent British boxing.
Catterall’s advisor, Jones, is more confident than ever that his client will have his way with Prograis.
“If Regis Prograis fights Jack Catterall, I promise you, Jack Catterall will stand him on his head,” Jones told iFL TV. “I really respect Regis. I worked with Regis in the past. I like him. He’s a good guy. And he can fight anybody. So I know he’ll take the fight with Jack. …Regis sees Jack as having beat Josh Taylor—didn’t get the result. But Regis knows that Jack Catterall is the real deal. It’s a fantastic fight.”
“We’d love it to be Manchester,” Jones continued. “But Jack can beat Regis on any continent. Any city, any country, he would beat him. That’s the fight we want next.
“I genuinely believe Jack will stand him on his head. It’s a voluntary defense. Jack will travel. Not a problem. And he will beat him in his backyard or wherever the fight will take place.”
Prograis has been rumored to be a candidate to take on undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney, who is coming off a somewhat controversial win over Vasiliy Lomachenko last month. Haney has hinted at possibly moving up to the 140-pound class.
Jones, however, feels that Haney has other, more pressing options to pursue. That leaves Catterall as an intriguing possibility.
“I understand the Devin Haney talks but Devin Haney has a lot of options. Apparently he’s signing with [Saudi Arabian promoter] Skills Challenge. Jack Catterall’s with Matchroom. We’ve signed Jack Catterall to Matchroom to get a world title opportunity which he deserves. This is the perfect opportunity.”
Sean Nam is the author of Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.