Regis Prograis gets WBC world super lightweight title shot

Regis Prograis vs. Jose Zepeda

Regis Prograis has been granted his shot at the WBC world super lightweight title.

A fight for the vacant belt between Probellum’s Prograis and Jose Zepeda has been ordered by the sanctioning body.

The WBC says a free negotiation period is now open but if a deal to stage the fight cannot be reached, then the 140lbs clash will go to purse bids on August 30.

Prograis stopped Tyrone McKenna, at Probellum Evolution in March, in an official eliminator but the WBC ordered Zepeda to meet Jose Ramirez for the title, after Josh Taylor relinquished the crown.

But Ramirez has now pulled out of that fight which has allowed former WBA world champion Prograis to step in and face fellow southpaw Zepeda.

The man known as ‘Rougarou’ said in a recent interview that the super lightweight division was soon going to be the most exciting division in the sport and that he would rule the weight class again.

Prograis stopped Kiryl Relikh to win the WBA title in 2019 and set up a huge unification fight with Scotland’s Taylor, in the final of the World Boxing Super Series.

The American (27-1, 23 KOs) has rebounded from defeat in that remarkable encounter, by recording three consecutive TKO wins.

Zepeda, 33, has lost both of his previous two world title tilts, to England’s Terry Flanagan in 2015 and to Ramirez in 2019.

“I’m ecstatic,” Prograis told Probellum.com.

“I’ve waited for this opportunity for a long time. When I was a world champion, and I lost my belt, it was like I fell to the bottom of the pit, and I just clawed my way up and, clawed my way out.

“And now I am back fighting for another title again to become a world champion. I don’t do this just to become a world champ, I want to be known as the best in my division.

“I was a world champion and the number one in the world so for me, it’s about getting back to that same spot that I feel like I deserve. This is a chance to achieve that.”

Zepeda, who holds a 35-2 record, has Prograis’ respect but the Probellum fighter says he will pose problems his fellow American fighter has never had to contend with.

“Both of us have tremendous power in each hand,” Prograis, 27-1, said.

“Zepeda has a bunch of crazy knockouts on his record, and I’ve been knocking people out too, so I’ve got to be wary of him and his power.

“But I have supreme confidence in myself. Maybe this is a flaw of mine, maybe it’s not, but when you tell me I am going to fight somebody, I think I’m going to destroy them, and there is no way this person can beat me.

“Zepeda is a good fighter, but he has never seen anything like me before.”

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