Boxing
Prograis Set to 'Shatter' Catterall’s World Title Ambitions, Says Trainer Bobby Benton
Regis Prograis' trainer, Bobby Benton, believes Prograis' strength will overpower Jack Catterall in their upcoming fight, crushing Catterall's world title ambitions. This matchup has sparked interest in sports betting, as fans weigh in on who will come out on top.
Regis Prograis//Getty Images
Regis Prograis’ trainer has outlined why he believes the American will shatter Jack Catterall’s hopes of challenging for a world title next year when the pair meet in Manchester this weekend.
Saturday’s bout at the Co-op Live arena is a pivotal bout for both men, with Prograis attempting to regain control of the super-lightweight division having previously held the WBC and WBA belts and Catterall targeting a clash with either Liam Paro or Teofimo Lopez for their respective WBO and IBF crowns.
Prograis' Strength Will Make the Difference
Despite commending Catterall’s bravery for agreeing to meet his fighter, despite no recognised honours being on the line, Bobby Benton told SportsBoom: “Regis, in my opinion, is too good and too strong for Jack. That is going to show and make the difference.
Don’t get me wrong, Jack is excellent. He’s an opponent of the highest calibre and one of the best there is in the division. So, we know this won’t be easy
Regis Prograis
Catterall Commended for Taking the Fight
“But Regis has always operated at the very highest level. And, for me, those levels are going to count.”
“I commend Jack and admire him for getting into the ring with Regis. Especially at this stage, because that says a lot about him. But Regis will come through.”
Aged 31 and hailing from nearby Chorley, Catterall will benefit from home advantage against his counterpart.
Home Advantage for Catterall, But a Blessing for Prograis
Combined with the momentum his career gathered after defeating former undisputed champion Josh Taylor in Leeds earlier this year, that persuaded both him and his promoter Eddie Hearn to engineer a clash with Prograis whose only defeats have come at the hands of Devin Haney and the Scotsman.
But Benton, who runs the Main Street Boxing and Muay Thai Gym in Houston Texas, suspects the pair are guilty of making a miscalculation.
“To be honest, I’m actually glad Regis is fighting in Jack’s backyard,” he said.
“That’s going to work to his advantage. Away from home, there’s going to be less distractions, and he can focus completely on the job in hand.”
“We’ve got nothing to worry about except the fight and that’s ideal. It’s perfect.”
“It’s a match which excites us, for sure.”
Focused Preparations in Manchester
“We’ve come over to Manchester to finish our preparations,” continued Benton.
“We were here nice and early, in plenty of time.”
“It’s a great city, one which reminds us of home in a lot of ways. It’s a fight city.”
“But we’re not here to sight-see and I won’t be doing anything like that. It’s all on what’s ahead.”
It’s my job to be on hand for whatever Regis wants. Whenever he needs something, whatever it might be, I’ve got to be ready to provide it. So, it’s boxing only. We won’t be going out and about Manchester.
Regis Prograis
Prograis Ready to Reclaim His Best Form
Four years Catterall’s senior, Prograis has won 29 or his 31 professional outings with Manchester’s Terry Flanagan among his previous victims. Catterall, whose victory over Taylor avenged the only loss on his 30-fight record, counts Jorge Linares and Ohara Davies among his list of scalps.
Explaining why he predicts Prograis will rediscover his best form against Catterall, Benton said: “We’ve changed a few things in this camp and made it fun again. Regis, and everyone else for that matter, has really enjoyed himself.”
“That - enjoyment - is so important. You can’t have the longevity at the top Regis has without it.”
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.