Regis Prograis is dead SERIOUS, wants Terence Crawford fight

By Boxing News - 01/14/2020 - Comments

By Chris Williams: Regis Prograis says he is deadly serious about wanting to take on Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford at either 140 or 147, but it’ll depend on the offer made to him from Top Rank. However, Prograis isn’t going to take chicken feed for a fight against Crawford, especially with Bob Arum saying he’s the #1 welterweight in the division.

Crawford has been complaining night and day about wanting a fight against IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. despite the fact that he’s coming off of a scary car cash on October 10. Terence has ruled out a match against Shawn Porter, and his promoters at Top Rank haven’t mentioned anyone for his next fight in April or May. Prograis would be the perfect opponent for Crawford to fight next.

Prograis’s power, punch accuracy and inside fighting ability could give Crawford nightmares. Top Rank will need think hard before they make a decision on letting Prograis fight Crawford.

Regis ready to take Crawford fight

Prograis would be an ideal option for Crawford, as long as Top Rank can negotiate it. Obviously, Crawford would have to want to fight Prograis. It’s not going to work if Crawford rejects the fight for whatever reason.

The former WBA light welterweight champion Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) isn’t looking for handouts for this fight. He would be coming into the fight with WBO 147-lb champion Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) as a former light welterweight champion, and WBSS tournament competitor.

Although Prograis lost his last fight to Josh Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) on October 26 in the World Boxing Super Series tourney, he came razor close to beating him. The scores were 117-112, 115-113 for Taylor, 114-114. Perhaps the best score of the bunch was the 115-113 score.

“I’m serious, definitely serious. It all depends on what they offer me at 147 or 140,” said Prograis to Fighthype. “I can do either one, but right now I want my belts back,” Prograis about his his WBA light welterweight and WBC Diamond strap that he lost to Taylor. “It’s just hard to make moves because you never know what’s going to happen in boxing. You can say ‘oh, I plan this in two years or three years’ and then something happens,” said Prograis.

Well, Top Rank Boxing signed Josh Taylor last week, and the idea is that they want to match him against one of their own fighters in WBC/WBO 140-lb champion Jose Ramirez next. If Taylor wins that fight, then he’s expected to move up to 147, and take on Crawford for his WBO title.

Prograis interested in Mikey Garcia fight

“For sure, Mikey Garcia is a bigger name than Josh Taylor or Jose Ramirez put together,” said Prograis when asked about a fight between him and Mikey. “Even if we don’t fight for one of those major belts I still think it’s a bigger fight than any of those fights out.”

Mikey (39-1, 30 KOs) just signed with Matchroom Boxing, and they have him fighting Jessie Vargas on February 29. If Mikey wins that fight, then Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn will be looking to put him in with WBA welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in his next fight. Hearn is pretty hopeful he can get the deal done for Mikey vs. Pacquiao fight.

Prograis might be too dangerous for Mikey, who lost his last fight to Errol Spence Jr. in 2018, and looked terrible throughout that contest. Since Mikey moved up from 135, he’s only looked good in one fight, and that was against a shot Adrien Broner. Mikey was poor against Spence, and almost as bad in his fight with Sergey Lipinets.

“If I was Josh Taylor, I wouldn’t fight me next,” said Prograis. “Let him fight somebody. I want the rematch eventually, but knowing boxing, it’s not going to happen right now. It probably won’t even happen no time soon,” said Prograis.

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