Via Craig Page: Regis Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs) impressed against the power of rival Jose Zepeda (35-3, 27 KOs) after stopping him in the 11th round last Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park , Carson, California.
“I really feel he’s going to be the champion, but tonight is not his night,” Regis Prograis said at the awards ceremony. press conference after the gameabout Jose Zepeda.
“We both have equal strength in our left hand, so I watch out for him, and he’s on my side. Early in the game, he stayed away. I hit him a few times on the side of the head, but it wasn’t really the button.
“It just took a while before I could start to find him. I remember hitting him with a left hand blow, it was really strong and injured him. I want to stay at 140.
“Everybody knows that if I had a hit list, Josh Taylor would be on my hit list. I think there will be a lot of opportunities for me, but let’s see what they have to say.
“Yes, he was probably the toughest guy I’ve fought,” Prograis continued. “He took a lot of punches. He hit hard. You can tell by his knocks that he has a lot of power.
“He is faster and has a good stab, and he is very strong. He is probably my most formidable opponent, if not my toughest opponent. By the third round, I started moving my head, and he missed a lot of punches.
“When I moved my head, his stab flew over my head. When I started boxing, that’s when he started throwing punches.
“He started to weaken. I wouldn’t say he’s the leader, but my wind is better. When I close the box, I won’t say it’s easy, but it’s easier.
“I feel like I’ve shown a complete package. Of course,” Prograis said when asked if he thinks the boxers will want to face him next. “This Thursday [WBC belt] like gold. For the past three years, no one has called my name. I have this now, and people will start calling me out.
“I just saw that he was injured. When I saw him injured, I killed him. Before that, I thought I would be stopped early because he was cut. The referee said he was slashed and the cut was from a punch.
“Jose Ramirez lied to me for five years. Now that I have this belt, he wants to fight me. I’m trying to be more humble.
