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“I am so thrilled to welcome Regis to the Matchroom team,” promoter – and Matchroom honcho – Eddie Hearn said in a surprising press release on Saturday evening. The Regis he was referring to was the only WBC junior welterweight title Regis Prograis. “The 140lbs division is fast becoming the most exciting in the sport,” Hearn continued, “littered with big names and glamorous fights, so to have the WBC king on the team is a huge coup for us.”
The 28-1 Prograis had been a free agent for a while which made him one of the hottest commodities in the sport of boxing. «It’s official now – I’m with Matchroom,» Prograis said. “Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about my next move. I had many good offers on the table. But I feel Matchroom is the best for me. I just feel like it’s the right solution. From the beginning I had that gut feeling and it never went away. I can’t wait to start this chapter of my career. I will fight Liam Paro in New Orleans on June 17th. This is a dream come true.
Suffice it to say that the widely unknown 23-0 Paro rightly sees this as the opportunity of a lifetime. «I’ve dreamed of fights like this all my life,» said the Australian contender. “What better way to make a mark in the 140lbs division than by knocking out the top guy. That’s what it’s all about. I’m on my way.» That said, Prograis should clearly win on June 17. The press release indicated that his deal with Matchroom is long-term after all.
«Regis’ fights always promise action,» said Hearn, «and coupled with his charisma and personality, there’s a perfect blend that makes him one of the most marketable and fan-favorite fighters – and one who has told me who just wants the biggest fights in the division – unifications and undisputed.” Hearn was also happy to promote Prograis-Paro on Prograis’ home turf, New Orleans.
“I can’t wait to promote our first event in New Orleans,” Hearn said. “It’s another city to add to the growing list of venues we’ve featured in events across the US, and with our new three-year deal with DAZN, you can expect more great venues and more big name brands to build in those cities.”
Prograis’ last fight was an 11th round knockout of Jose Zepeda in November.