Regis Prograis has warned that Conor Benn’s “gamble” will backfire when they fight this weekend.
Benn returns to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday, the site of his middleweight victories over Chris Eubank Jr, for his third consecutive fight at the ground.
Prograis, a former super-lightweight world titlist, is moving up to 150lbs to face Benn at a catchweight with no rehydration limit.
“They definitely did set it on his terms but for me I know I can win,” Prograis told Sky Sports. “I fought at 140lbs my whole career, that’s a big jump. Then I said, what about a weight stipulation for the next day? They said no, not going to happen. I said I don’t care, get the fight, don’t worry about the weight, let’s make this fight happen. I know I’m better, I know what I can do. I’m not worried about weight stipulations. Let’s make the fight happen.”
Still confident he will be victorious, Prograis revealed there is no rematch clause after the fight. “We don’t have a rematch clause,” he said. “But you never know, if the people want to see it, if it’s something like that and the people want to see it why not? Why not do it? My plan was to go to 147lbs anyway, I didn’t plan to go to 150. They did call me on six weeks’ notice but because I was training I was in the gym so it’s cool. They’re definitely taking a gamble because I’ve been in the gym.”
He said he does not consider Benn to be in his class. “I think he’s an okay fighter. I don’t think he’s really great, I don’t think he’s really bad. If you look at accomplishments, mine stick out way more. I’ve been No 1 in the world twice, I’ve been champion twice; he never did that, he never accomplished that. It’s not going to be the same thing with Chris Eubank. It’ll be way different. It’s definitely a different level. It’s definitely different styles… I know I’m way better.”
Prograis said a win over Benn would open major opportunities and hopes to use it as a springboard to another world title shot. “It’ll be so many opportunities on the table for me,” he said. “I just know after that fight it’ll be something real, real big. I want to be a three-time champion.”