Promoter Eddie Hearn feels the question for tonight’s fight is whether Jack Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) can stand up to the power of the former two-time light welterweight champion Regis Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) in their bout at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Is Prograis Too Powerful For Catterall?
If Catterall can’t handle the heavy shots from Prograis, he won’t last long in their fight. That won’t make Hearn happy because he’s already planning for Catterall to challenge for the IBF light welterweight title against Liam Paro or Richardson Hitchins.
We haven’t seen Catterall face an A-level fighter before during his career, and he might fall apart tonight when he gets in with Prograis. Catterall beat Josh Taylor in his last fight, but he was completely shot, and he was not who he’d been in the past.
“The big question in this fight is if Jack Catterall can stand up to the power of Regis Prograis?” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing about tonight’s fight between Catterall and Prograis in Manchester. “How much does Regis Prograis have left?”
“The question marks are, who is the King of the 140-lb? The loser of this fight can still be in big fights, but the winner is going to go on and challenge for the world title,” said Hearn. “Huge pressure on both Saturday night. Big crowd at Co-op Live. The first time boxing has ever been held in the arena.
“Both guys must win if they want to secure a world championship shot in 2025. You’re going to see a war in Manchester
“My style of fighting, the higher level of boxer I face. Sometimes, I’ve been a victim of falling short when I’ve boxed a lesser caliber of opponent, and my levels have come down,” said Jack Catterall.”I think you’ll see with Regis that the better opponent, the better I’ll be. If I win on Saturday, I’m going for Liam Paro.
“I keep saying over and over, this is one of the biggest fights you can make at 140 outside of the belts being on the line,” said Prograis. “I feel like this is the perfect time and the perfect fight for me and him both.
Prograis is correct about his fight against Catterall being one of the biggest in the light welterweight division because there are not a lot of big names. Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney are inactive, and will both likely move up to 147. Teofimo Lopez is expected to do the same soon. Liam Paro isn’t well in the U.S, and not a star.
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