Regis Prograis, the reigning WBC light welterweight champion, revealed that he is a fan of MMA and might have chosen it over boxing if it had been more popular when he was starting his career, adding that he cross-trains in MMA in his spare time and has trained with top fighters in Brazil.
Regis Prograis is gearing up for a significant boxing match this Saturday. However, his career could have taken a different turn towards MMA.
Prograis, the reigning WBC light welterweight champion, is set to face Devin Haney. Interestingly, he’s a big fan of MMA and even has a picture of Conor McGregor, ex-UFC two-division champ, in his gym. Prograis also cross-trains in MMA during his downtime.
He once said, “Honestly, I’m not going to lie to you, if MMA was big when I was coming up, I probably would have did MMA. I like that type of stuff.” This statement was made during an interview on The MMA Hour.
Prograis’ wife is Brazilian, and he spends a considerable amount of time in Brazil. While there, he engages in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling. He’s a boxer, but he admits to liking MMA quite a bit.
When in Brazil, Prograis didn’t just train in any MMA gym. He trained at one of the top facilities in the country. He said, “I trained with Pedro Rizzo. I trained with Jose Aldo when I was in Brazil. All those guys out there, they showed me a lot of love so I do like MMA.”
Prograis first met Aldo after a particularly challenging time in his career. This timing likely prevented a sparring session, but Prograis is open to future collaborations. He recalled, “When I first met him, he was coming off that loss to Conor McGregor. We hung out a few times. We was actually supposed to spar one day, but it just never happened.”
Despite his love for MMA, Prograis has had a successful boxing career. He’s ranked as one of the world’s top 140-pound fighters.
Haney, on the other hand, is moving up a weight class after establishing himself as the best lightweight with a win over Vasyl Lomachenko in May. Haney has a perfect 30-0 record, but Prograis thinks he may have bitten off more than he can chew.
Prograis commented, “I know he is bigger. He has a bigger frame. He probably was struggling to make 135. I think he did have to come up to 140. I’m still surprised he took this fight. A lot of people was surprised he took this fight. He was getting touched at 135 and I’m one of the biggest punchers at 140, so it’s going to be a big difference.”
He added, “At the end of the day, I really feel like I’m going to hurt him, I’m going to smash him, no matter what.”
If Prograis wins on Saturday, he believes it will position him for bigger fights and more lucrative paydays. He’s fought for titles and headlined many cards, but there’s a difference between being a champion and a superstar.
Prograis said, “I feel like it will catapult me to one of the faces of boxing. One of the biggest faces in boxing. Definitely on the pound-for-pound list, top five in pound-for-pound a matter of fact. It will lead me to the bigger fights, bigger fights down the line. The next fight will be something big.”