By Jeff Aranow: The official date for Regis Prograis (22-0, 19 KOs) vs. Terry Flanagan (33-1, 13 KOs) is October 27 for their World Boxing Super Series light welterweight quarterfinal match. Prograis will be defending his Interim WBC 140 pound title against the 29-year-old former World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Flanagan at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The timing for Flanagan to be facing a talent like Prograis is particularly bad, given that he’s coming off of a 12 round split decision to Maurice Hooker on June 9 in Manchester, England. Even though Flanagan had the hometown advantage, he was still out-boxed and beaten by the 5’11” Hooker in their fight for the vacant WBO light welterweight title. Flanagan was effective early on against Hooker, but then he gassed out in the second half of the contest. This was Flanagan’s first at light welterweight after campaigning as a lightweight the last six years. Flanagan was a good fighter at 135, but he’s going to have his hands full facing a puncher like Prograis on October 27. It’s a tough match-up for Flanagan on paper. He can win it, but he’s going to need to find a way to neutralize Prograis’ punching power for him to do so. Prograis is a harder puncher than Hooker, and he doesn’t get tired. Prograis can punch with major power all night long.
Prograis, 29, has looked nothing short of sensational recently in recently knocking out Juan Jose Velasco, Julius Indongo, Joel Diaz Jr. and Wilfrido Buelvas. Flanagan would likely beat all of those fighters as well, but not in the same fashion as the hard hitting Prograis. Flanagan is not a knockout puncher, especially now that he’s fighting guys his own size. Prograis stopped Velasco in the 8th round on July 14. It was slow, methodical beat down by Prograis. He wasn’t in a hurry at all to try and knock Velasco out in that fight. Prograis focused on throwing body shots for most of the fight and taking his time. Had Prograis gone after Velasco with head shots, he likely would have stopped him within four rounds. It looked like Prograis was using Velasco as practice to work on his body shots.
The WBC Diamond light welterweight title will be on the line for the Prograis vs. Flanagan fight.
Nicknamed, ‘Rougarou,” Prograis is viewed as the favorite by many fans to win the WBSS 140 pound tournament. Flanagan has the bad luck of facing arguably the toughest of the tournament contestants right off the bat rather than in the final. It’s unclear whether Flanagan, 5’9”, would make it the WBSS final, as he would potentially need to go through the likes of Kiryl Relkh, Josh Taylor, Ivan Branchyk and Anthony Yigit to get there.
“I’m very excited to fight again at home in New Orleans,” said Prograis. “I know what to expect and the people of New Orleans, my biggest supporters, know what to expect. It will be a very special night on October 27th.”
Prograis wanted to fight WBC light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez before entering the WBSS tournament, but it was clear that the California native’s promoters weren’t going to let that fight take place in time for Regis to compete in the WBSS tournament. Prograis preferred competing in the WBSS tournament where he’ll have the chance of winning the IBF and WBA titles rather than waiting around for his shot at Ramirez’s WBC title. Prograis will go after Ramirez after the WBSS tournament ends, provided that he emerges victorious.