Regis Prograis revealed he attempted to negotiate a lower weight for his upcoming clash with Conor Benn but ultimately agreed to meet at 150 pounds after being turned down.
The former two-time world champion will face Benn on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov. Prograis, a career 140-pounder, initially hoped the fight could take place at 147 pounds but said Benn’s team rejected the idea.
“I was a champion, twice, at 140[lbs]. So, for me, this is a big jump, but I feel like I’ll be comfortable,” Prograis told Ring Magazine. “At first, we tried to get the weight down a little bit. They [said] no. Cool, no push back – you get everything. I didn’t push back about the weight; I didn’t push back about the weigh-in clause.”
Prograis also confirmed he did not pursue a rehydration clause, despite Benn previously imposing a 10-pound rehydration limit on Chris Eubank Jr. for their two middleweight bouts. “We could’ve [done] that, too. I know he did the same thing with Eubank – he made him do a rehydration clause. I’m not doing none of that stuff,” Prograis said.
The bout marks Benn’s first appearance since signing a one-fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing. While Benn had previously indicated he would return to 147 pounds after defeating Eubank, the April 11 showdown will instead take place at a negotiated 150-pound limit.
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