Prograis vs. Taylor undercard for Oct.26: Kelly-Robinson, Parker-Chisora & Okolie

By Boxing News - 08/29/2019 - Comments

By Doug Berman: Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is still working on the Regis Prograis vs. Josh Taylor WBSS tournament final for October 26, but he’s planning on putting Joseph Parker vs. Dereck Chisora as the co-feature. Additionally, Hearn is planning on putting the rematch between welterweights Josh Kelly and Ray Robinson, as well as cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie against TBA.

Prograis vs. Taylor undercard fights:

  • Joseph Parker vs. Dereck Chisora
  • Josh Kelly vs. Ray Robinson 2
  • Lawrence Okolie vs. TBA

This card is expected to be shown on Sky Box Office pay-per-view in the UK. There will be a lot of disappointed boxing fans after they learn that they’ll need to pay to see this card, but there’s several good fights. Prograis-Taylor, Parker-Chisora and Kelly-Robinson all promise to be entertaining from start to finish.

Josh Kelly vs. Ray Robinson 2

The unbeaten #12 WBA welterweight contender Josh Kelly (9-0-1, 6 KOs) will be facing #15 WBC Ray Robinson (24-3-2, 12 KOs) in a rematch. The two fought to a 10 round draw on June 1 on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York. 2016 Olympian Kelly looked poor in getting a draw in a fight that a lot of boxing fan thought he lost.

Kelly, 25, was the A-side going into the contest, and he was viewed as the guy that was supposed to win. Robinson, 33, outworked Kelly, and had him pinned to the ropes for much of the fight. Kelly fought with his hands down by his sides through most of the contest, and he took a lot of shots.

Kelly has tried to get a fight against Conor Benn, but Hearn hasn’t given the green light to that match. It’s a bad match for Hearn, because he’s trying to develop both guys. He can’t afford to have one of them beaten at this point.

Joseph Parker vs. Dereck Chisora

This is an important fight with huge ramifications for the winner of the fight. Parker (26-2, 20 KOs) wants a rematch with Anthony Joshua, who beat him last year by a 12 round decision. He also wants to avenge his loss to Dillian Whyte. Those are the only two guys tat have beaten Parker during his career. Fringe contender Chisora (31-9, 22 KOs) is standing in Parker’s way from getting the big fights.

Hearn recently signed the 27-year-old Parker to a three-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing USA, and he’s already used up one fight in beating 39-year-old former world title challenger Alex Leapai by a 10th round knockout last June. Hearn let Parker fight a low level opponent instead of matching him against a good fighter.

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Parker is a good fighter, but he’s a bit one-paced, and slow at times. In his last fight against Leapai, he should have been able to destroy him one or two rounds. Instead, Parker was forced to go 10 rounds before he eventually scored a stoppage. It wan’t one of Parker’s better efforts.