Jack Catterall, fresh off a win over Josh Taylor in their May rematch, will take on Regis Prograis on Aug. 24 in the first boxing event to take place at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
The all-southpaw contest is scheduled for 12 rounds, and though a junior welterweight belt is yet to be attached to the matchup, the winner will be primed to contend for one. Meanwhile, it’s a compelling, well-matched fight.
At 35, Prograis, a wonderful fighter at his best, is not quite drinking in Last Chance Saloon, but he’s certainly on the brink of doing so. Since tightly losing to Taylor in a 2019 barnburner, his form has been patchy and his activity sporadic. He was comprehensively outpointed by Devin Haney in his most recent contest in December, surrendering the WBC 140-pound title he had won via unconvincing split decision against Danieleto Zorrilla six months before.
Catterall, of Chorley, England, doesn’t exactly trump Prograis in terms of being busy. But out of the two, he’s certainly the fighter deemed closer to his peak. The victory over Taylor put an end to a rivalry that began in 2022 when the Scotland’s Taylor won a highly contentious verdict. In the lengthy interim, Caterall posted wins over Darragh Foley and the aging Jorge Linares.
“Regis Prograis is a fantastic fighter and he’s coming off the back of a huge PPV world title fight against Devin Haney,” Catterall stated in the official press release. “He’s a former two-time world champion, he’s been over here to the U.K. before, had a life and death with Josh Taylor, and I’m looking forward to sharing the ring with such a great fighter.”
Catterall displayed far more confidence in speaking on DAZN on Saturday.
“Regis, two-time champion, I want that smoke,” Catterall said. “I think he’s slower on his feet, Regis is a tough fighter, [but] he’s 35 now. I think he’s going to make me look good. He’s going to come, bring it. It’s a tough fight but one I expect to win.”
Meanwhile, Prograis insists that the slippery, pot-shotting contender has been on his wish list for an age.
“This is a fight I’ve always wanted,” he stated. “We were supposed to fight a few years ago, but it never materialized. Now is the perfect time. I view Jack as one of the best in the world at 140 pounds. It’s a great fight because Jack is eager to become a world champion and I’m looking to become a three-time world champion. On top of that, I’m excited to be coming to the U.K.”
The show will be promoted by Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn, who said: “This is a brilliant fight, and I’m so happy that we are seeing the two best 140-pound fighters face each other rather than just sitting around and waiting for title shots.”
Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) is ranked fourth by the WBA and IBF, seventh by the WBO and 11th by the WBC. Yet Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) sits above him in each of those charts (third by the WBC, WBA and IBF, and second by the WBO). The independent TBRB ranks Catterall as the No. 3 contender, six places above Prograis.
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