In October 2019, Regis Prograis went to battle with Josh Taylor and practically left London as a two-belt world champion and winner of the World Boxing Super Series tremendous light-weight match. Instead, Taylor gained a slender majority choice and went on to develop into undisputed champion two fights later. Prograis, in the meantime, has struggled to search out his method again to massive fights worthy of his abilities. That adjustments Saturday night time when Prograis faces Jose Zepeda for the vacant WBC title (PPV, 9 p.m. ET).
After beginning his profession 22-0, Prograis entered the World Boxing Super Series and gained two fights, capturing the WBA title together with his win over Kiryl Relikh within the match semifinals earlier than the loss to Taylor within the finals.
The match established Prograis as a pressure within the division and a fighter with a marketable model and persona. But his choice to signal with upstart promotion Probellum following the loss left Prograis on the skin wanting in when it got here to getting again to the massive stage.
Prograis has fought and gained 3 times because the loss to Taylor, the largest of these fights in opposition to Ivan Redkach on the April 2021 undercard of Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren. That combat had a weird end as Prograis landed a transparent shot to Redkach’s ribs just for Redkach to break down to the canvas, inexplicably greedy at his groin and claiming the punch — which landed to his facet — was a low blow. The referee purchased Redkach’s story and the combat was stopped, with Redkach awarded a technical choice victory. That choice additionally went in opposition to the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission guidelines, which state {that a} fighter who can not proceed after an unintentional low blow can be declared the loser by technical knockout. The fee would finally change the outcome to a TKO.
With alternatives restricted by different promoters not desirous to threat their fighters in opposition to a expertise exterior of their management and with no championship on the road, Prograis was compelled to attend till a possibility introduced itself, which occurred when Jose Ramirez withdrew from his deliberate rematch with Zepeda for the WBC belt that was vacated by Taylor, leaving the WBC to order a combat between Zepeda and Prograis.
Since a 2019 loss in his first combat with Ramirez, Zepeda has rattled off 5 straight victories. An action-first fighter, Zepeda took half in top-of-the-line fights lately when he confronted Ivan Baranchyk in October 2020.
The combat between Zepeda and Baranchyk noticed eight complete knockdowns, 4 for every fighter. Zepeda then ended issues with a crushing knockout within the fifth spherical.
The win over Baranchyk gave Zepeda a secondary WBC title, which he defended twice to carry his standing as the subsequent man up for a WBC world title shot.
On Saturday, the ready for a world title combat is over for each males and followers are probably in for an important combat between two males whose kinds nearly assure top-tier motion.
Prograis vs. Zepeda combat card, odds
Regis Prograis -410 Jose Zepeda +320 Vacant WBC tremendous light-weight title Yokasta Valle -200 Evelin Nazarena Bermudez (c) +170 IBF, WBO gentle flyweight titles Charles Conwell -2500 Juan Carlos Abreu +1200 Super welterweight Bakhodir Jalolov -4000 Curtis Harper +1500 Heavyweight
Prediction
This is a battle of southpaws who thrive after they have their counterpunching working. Zepeda will enter with the attain benefit and can probably attempt to use his jab to maintain Prograis from closing distance. The drawback for Zepeda is that Prograis is a greater fighter with a deeper bag of methods, extra velocity, higher protection and a greater chin.
When opponents are in a position to get in-range in opposition to Zepeda, he tends to battle defensively. Prograis is technically gifted sufficient to have the ability to get previous the jab and fast sufficient to not solely land counters but additionally to keep away from the counters that Zepeda tends to thrive on. The combat can be an entertaining one from the opening bell, however Prograis’ capacity to shift gears and provide totally different issues for Zepeda to resolve can be sufficient for him to hold most rounds. Pick: Prograis through UD
