By: Sean Crose
“It came really fast,” Regis Prograis told Fight Hub of this Saturday’s upcoming defense of his WBC junior welterweight title against Danielito Zorrilla. The bout, which is going down at the Smoothie Center in New Orleans, represents a homecoming for Prograis, himself a product of the city known as “The Big Easy.” Fortunately, the man has made sure he’s physically prepared for this weekend’s DAZN-broadcast matchup. “I’m always in the gym,” he said. “I’m always training.”
Indeed, Prograis found himself in numerous gyms while preparing for Zorrilla. “We actually started in Houston,” Prograis said. “Then we came here for a few weeks, and then we went back to Houston, and now we’re back here (in new Orkeans). This fight, it went real fast, and everything was smooth, and it was good, a real good camp.” Aside from a single close decision loss to Josh Taylor back in 2019, the 28-1 Prograis has managed to maintain a perfect record.
Sure enough, Matchroom Boxing honcho Eddie Heard has been so impressed with Prograis, that the Englishman has convinced the American to join his stable to fighters. “Eddie just naturally got that European English charm,” Prograis says. “It just felt like I’m more of a priority over here with Matchroom….Eddie actually flew to me (unlike other promotional outlets who would have Prograis fly to them).”
Should Prograis defeat the 17-1 Zorrilla as expected on Saturday, a number of big name opponents, including perhaps the recently retired Teofimo Lopez, may be in line to take a shot winning his title. Still, Prograis is determined to remained focused on the task at hand. “I don’t want to focus on nobody but myself,” he said (referring to Lopez). “People get sidetracked a lot. At the end of the day I still have a dude in front of me who wants to take my belt.”
Porgrais will especially want to look his best now that he will be fighting in front of a hometown crowd this weekend. Not that he’s nervous about it. To the contrary. “It’s no pressure,” he said. “This is what I enjoy…if I get him hurt then I’ll get him out of there but if not then I can box, I can do my thing.” To be sure, in the end it all comes down to getting another check in the “Win Column.” That and entertaining his hometown fans. A local hero has responsibilities, after all.