Regis Prograis after Conor Benn defeat: “I was terrified of fighting, because everyone knew I was injured”
A bloodied and bruised Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) continued his march towards a world title shot with a points victory over a faded Regis Prograis (30-4, 24 KOs) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11.
The 29-year-old Briton had to contend with cuts above both eyes from head clashes with the southpaw, but used his youth, energy and superior size to edge a scrappy, hard-fought contest.
Two-time world champion Prograis, 37, landed some clean shots of his own but the older American struggled to find his rhythm as the bout progressed, with all three judges awarding it 98-92 to Benn.
The contest was staged at a catchweight of 10st 12lb (69kg), 3lb above the welterweight limit where Benn now hopes to land a world title shot.
It was Benn’s first outing since his much-publicised two fights with Chris Eubank Jr last year, and since parting ways with lifelong promoter Matchroom, having signed a high-profile one-fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing outfit in February.
Post-fight Prograis admitted to being injured, “Going in, I knew I was going to retire. This is my last fight, I knew this The rumours about me being hurt were true. I wanted to pull out of this fight so bad a month ago, but kept pushing. I was terrified and thinking about pulling out even yesterday.
“Mentally, I was going through so much stuff. I wanted to pull out so bad. I was more than scared, I was terrified of fighting. Because, of course, everyone knew that I was injured. I had all kinds of stuff going on in camp. Mentally, I wasn’t there and I didn’t want to fight. I was terrified of fighting.
“My right hand was messed up, my eye, my jaw, rib injury, a bunch of things, but it all held up. Nothing I was scared of happened in the ring. I wanted to pull out today, but so glad I didn’t. I went the ten rounds with Conor, perfect ending. Im glad I’m getting out of this at the right time, I definitely don’t want long term issues.”
Returning to the venue of his two fights with bitter rival Eubank Jr – both contested at middleweight – Benn was met with an emotional reception as he walked to the ring, underlining his status as one of British boxing’s most polarising figures.
Jeers and cheers echoed around the stadium as ‘The Destroyer’, accompanied by his legendary father Nigel Benn, shadowboxed his way to the ring to a string orchestra.
Benn’s career was halted for two-and-a-half years after he failed a drug tests in 2022. Although he was later cleared by an anti-doping panel and denies any wrongdoing, questions continue to linger among sections of critics.
When the action began, Benn rocked Prograis with a right hand in the closing seconds of the first round, briefly buckling the American’s legs.
Prograis was carrying an injury into the fight and did not appear to move fluidly, his back leg looking somewhat stiff at times.
He leaned on his vast experience and remained elusive, but struggled to land clean counters as Benn consistently outworked him in the early exchanges.
A clash of heads in the fourth round caused a small cut above Benn’s right eye. He responded with uppercuts and body shots on the inside, while southpaw Prograis shook his head and replied with a straight left.
Prograis has spent much of his career campaigning at light-welterweight, 10lb lighter than this contest.
Another clash of heads in the sixth opened up a cut above Benn’s left eye. Prograis landed a straight left in the seventh, which wobbled Benn momentarily, before the Essex fighter responded with a series of hooks on the inside.
Benn’s former promoter Eddie Hearn, watching from the front row after their bitter split, looked on nonchalantly as the contest drifted towards the scorecards.
