by Keith Idec
Regis Prograis was extra stunned than anybody when Devin Haney landed a proper hand that brought on a knockdown through the third spherical of their struggle.
The previous WBA and WBC 140-pound champion was knocked off stability. He spun round and used his proper glove to maintain from utterly falling to the canvas, however Haney’s well-placed punch brought on an official knockdown roughly 47 seconds into the third spherical final December 9 at Chase Heart in San Francisco.
Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs), the supposed puncher of their junior welterweight title struggle, didn’t rating a knockdown. The truth is, he misplaced each spherical based on judges Rey Danesco, Mike Ross and Fernando Villarreal, every of whom scored Haney a 120-107 winner of their DAZN Pay-Per-View foremost occasion.
Prograis obtained up nearly instantly from that flash knockdown and knowledgeable referee Jack Reiss that he was nice to proceed. Practically 11 months later, Prograis – who will struggle Jack Catterall on Saturday evening at Co-op Stay Area in Manchester, England – nonetheless can’t perceive how Haney put him down.
“It was actually the motion,” Prograis informed Boxing Information when requested how Haney troubled him. “Like, with the knockdown, I used to be like, ‘What?’ It was loopy as a result of the softest puncher I ever fought put me down. I don’t understand how. I don’t know to elucidate it. Like, I’ve been hit by huge punchers and it don’t do nothing to me.
“That’s why it exhibits you it’s all within the thoughts. Folks have a look at my report, and I’ve been hit by method larger punchers and nothing occurred to me. However Devin might be the softest puncher I ever fought, and he put me down. So, for me, it was similar to the thoughts factor.”
Chorley’s Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) has a knockout proportion similar to that of Haney (31-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC). Jamie Moore, Catterall’s coach, respects Prograis’ energy, but he assured anybody who doubts Catterall’s power that he, too, punches exhausting.
“Another excuse why we went with Regis was as a result of we all know the types will mix for the good struggle,” Moore mentioned throughout their press convention Thursday in Manchester. “Individuals are at all times sleeping on Jack’s energy. , he’s by no means gonna be a Golovkin. He’s not that sort of fighter, however when he hits you, imagine me, you recognize about it.
“And now we have a hell of quite a lot of respect for Regis. The rationale why we’re right here tonight is as a result of we’ve obtained respect for him. We all know how good he’s, we all know what he’s achieved, we all know the facility that he possesses and the hazard he brings. However that’s gonna convey one of the best out in Jack Catterall.”
DAZN will stream the 12-round, non-title bout between Catterall, 31, and Prograis, 35, as a foremost occasion worldwide. The streaming service’s undercard protection is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. GMT within the UK and a couple of p.m. ET in the USA.
