Regis Prograis is fine with the notion that Devin Haney wants to fight him based on his lackluster performance in his last bout.
Prograis, the WBC 140-pound titlist, made his Matchroom Boxing debut in June against late replacement Danielto Zorrilla in Prograis’ hometown of New Orleans. But it was hardly the homecoming that many expected it to be, with Prograis struggling to find a groove against the cagey Zorrilla. In the end, Prograis scraped with a split decision win in a fight that broke the CompuBox record for fewest landed punches in a title fight.
Now Prograis (29-1, 24 KOs) is in deep talks to fight Las Vegas-based Haney (30-0, 15 KOs), the current undisputed lightweight champion, in a 12-round bout for Prograis’ 140-pound title. It would be Haney’s first fight at the weight class. The WBC gave the green light late Tuesday for Haney to challenge Prograis.
In a recent interview, Prograis stressed that the only reason this fight is happening is because he looked subpar in his last outing in the ring. Prograis indicated in the same interview that he signed his portion of the contract to fight Haney.
“They look at my last performance, you know, it’s cool to look at my performance,” Prograis told ESNews. “That’s good. Listen, if I would’ve went out there and knocked Zorrilla out the first round, he wouldn’t even f—— touch me. [Haney’s father and manager] Bill Haney, they wouldn’t even f—— touch me.
“So I’m glad I had a bad performance last time. I’m glad it was in New Orleans, with all the sh!t that was happening in camp, out of camp, all that sh!t happening. Now he gotta see me. Listen, I signed my part, it’s on him to sign his part. We good.
“Listen, I don’t say I overlooked my last opponent and stuff like that … I’m not making no excuses but it ain’t going to be nowhere close like that [with Haney].”
Sean Nam is the author of Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.