Regis Prograis vs. Oscar Duarte have a fight in the works on February 15th in Anaheim, California. The former two-time light welterweight champion Prograis (29-3-, 24 KOs) is trying to snap a two-fight losing streak to turn things around.
Prograis is taking a risk fighting the powerful slugger Duarte, 28, but he’s got little choice. He’s too old to work his way back slowly to the top of the light welterweight rankings. He’s got to beat the best possible fighters available to him to get another chance.
Twilight Years
Regis is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Jack Catterall on October 26th in Manchester, England.
Catterall isn’t known for being a big puncher, yet he dropped Prograis twice in the ninth round, and he looked hesitant to attack in the championship rounds after that. The cores were 116-1-0, 117-108 and 116-109.
Before that fight, Prograis lost to Devin Haney by a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision on December 9, 2023, and was knocked down in the third round. It would appear that Regis’ punch resistance isn’t what it once was.
Lance Pugmire, @pugboxing, is reporting on the Prograis-Duarte fight on February 15th. It’s a big one for Regis, who has gone from being viewed as the #1 guy at 140 to being seen as over-the-hill by many fans.
This is an important fight for Prograis, 35, because he can’t afford to keep losing fights the way he’s been lately. He wants to become a three-time world champion at 140, but that’s not looking good for him with the way he keeps getting beaten.
The Golden Boy-promoted Duarte (28-2-1, 22 KOs) has looked impressive recently, defeating Botirzhon Akhmedov and Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz in back-to-back fights since being knocked out in the eighth round by Ryan Garcia on December 2, 2023.
Unless Prograis can make dramatic improvements before February 15th, he’s going to lose to Duarte and possibly get stopped if he can’t handle the power of the Mexican slugger.
2025-01-07 22:32:38
