Regis Prograis

Regis Prograis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 24, 1989. His boxing journey is a remarkable story of lifelong friendships, perseverance, and encounters with some of the greatest minds in the past 100 years, culminating in his unique style, which has made him one of the most popular fighters in the super lightweight division. Regis Prograis was part of an early 2000s migration of current American boxing superstars from the Louisiana-Texas pipeline. These fighters included the twin Charlo brothers, who also moved from Louisiana to Texas and have been good friends with Regis since childhood. These young men not only faced hardship due to Hurricane Katrina but also competed as boxers in Texas, one of the toughest amateur boxing scenes in all of America. In other words, the Louisiana-born fighters went from being big fish in a small pond to swimming in the shark-infested ocean of the highest level of amateur boxers in Texas.

In his move to Texas, Prograis began boxing at the Savannah Boxing Club under Evander Holyfield, which was a major factor in shaping him as a boxer. Prograis made his professional debut on April 28, 2012, with a knockout victory against Aaron Herrera. The now two-time WBC world champion has not looked back since. A fan-favorite moment in Prograis's career occurred in 2018-2019 when he competed in the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) in an attempt to win the Muhammad Ali trophy. Regis reached the tournament finals, leading to a face-off with the future undisputed Super Lightweight champion, Josh Taylor, in October 2019.

Regis Prograis, a seasoned professional in the super lightweight division, faced a significant setback with his recent one-sided beating by Devin Haney, marking his second defeat as a professional boxer. This decisive loss leaves Prograis' career sailing in uncertain waters, especially considering the division's hiatus in the absence of Josh Taylor since his loss of the once undisputed/unified titles. Devin Haney's triumphant debut not only propelled him into the limelight but also showcased the glaring challenges that Prograis must address to remain competitive in the super lightweight division. As the division awaits Taylor's potential return, Prograis finds himself grappling with the aftermath of a one-sided beating, pondering the uncertainties that now shape his professional journey.

Prograis grew up in Crescent City, a place known for its rich cultural heritage and resilience in the face of adversity. This cultural pride and determination to overcome challenges are evident in Prograis's boxing style, just like his fellow Louisiana companions, the Charlo Brothers, who also honed their skills in Texas. In the Lone Star state, they learned to master lateral movement, cross steps, pivots, and power-packed jabs, not only to survive the amateur scene but also to make the transition from amateur to professional and eventually become world champions.

Thanks to the Louisiana-to-Texas boxing pipeline, the mastery of footwork, similar to Lamochanck's, is becoming increasingly common, as seen in Prograis and the Charlo brothers. This key footwork involves moving your left leg first when moving left and moving your right leg first when moving right, creating a strong boxing stance, more explosive punches, and making it easier to find breathtaking angles. This approach allows one to mirror their opponent and maintain a solid back leg anchor, rarely losing balance, as Regis does. In addition to Regis's distinct American boxing style, his natural attributes make him an even more formidable opponent. His ability to steal a round in the last seconds of a fight, as demonstrated against the likes of Josh Taylor, showcases a very high ring IQ and ring awareness. Moreover, opponents, regardless of their caliber, must possess exceptional hand speed, power, and boxing IQ to compete, catching the attention of fans and pundits alike. This has led him to become quite a knockout artist, as seen in his match against Jose Zepeda in November 2022.

With his contract signed with Matchroom Boxing and numerous promotions eagerly waiting for his three-fight deal to end, we can expect more electrifying fights from Regis. He is a fan favorite for his modern American boxing style, which seamlessly blends old and new-school techniques to create an ever-evolving boxing style that even the most casual boxing fan can recognize as greatness.