Benn, Prograis show levels of confidence ahead of Saturday’s bout
LONDON – For the past few years, Conor Benn has been competing in the super welterweight and the middleweight divisions including two bouts against Chris Eubank Jr. in 2025. At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night he gets closer to fighting in what he says is his natural weight class at welterweight against Regis Prograis. At the press conference for this bout, Benn described what he has went through in the past few fights.
“I’ve been competing at a weight that’s not my weight for the past two, three years, Benn said. “Fighting at 154, at 160 – it’s not my weight. Now it’s time time for me to come back down to my natural weight.”
Benn (24-1, 14 KOs) is ranked #1 in the WBC rankings at welterweight, and he feels that he is close to a world title shot in the division. He is not overlooking Prograis, though as it could be the precursor to getting that title opportunity.
“You’re going to get the old Conor Benn back. I worked so hard to get back down in weight,” he said. “A world title will solidify my legacy, but ultimately, Regis is my world title shot. He is in the way of my world title. This fight was presented to me and I said ‘no problem…I’ll be ready.’”
He is happy that he will be competing in the welterweight division because that is where he feels that he is at his best.
“For me to fight somebody my own size for a change, it’s exciting. It’s the weight I’ve been most dangerous at my whole career.”
Prograis (30-3, 24 KOs) is a former two time super lightweight champion who is coming off of a win against JoJo Diaz last year. This bout is well above the super lightweight limit but the fighter originally from New Orleans is ready for the challenge.
“My plan was to go up (in weight) anyway,” Prograis said. “when they called me about this fight, I said ‘let’s do it’.”
He hopes to end the skid of losing in the United Kingdom as he fell short against Josh Taylor in London back in 2019 and to Jack Catterall in Manchester in 2024. Despite the bad luck that Prograis has experienced in the past, he likes fighting in the UK and in front of the fans there.
“The British fans are great,” he said. “I have no problem fighting in front of the British fans because they love boxing. I mean, it’s not my country, it’s not my home, but at the same time, they embrace boxing just like they love us. So I’m cool with it.”
Prograis knows that he is the underdog coming into this fight but a win could catapult him to the top ten in the welterweight rankings. At that point, he thinks that he will be able to take on anybody at 147.
“It’ll be whatever I want. I can call out anybody and tell them what I want. People won’t have to come to me with opportunities – I’ll come to them, and that’s how it’ll be.”
Photos by Richard Pelham of Getty Images
