Regis Prograis’ losing performance versus Jack Catterall on Saturday at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, UK– in the last fight of his 3-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing– wasn’t exactly the best way to head into promotional free agency.
By the looks of things, though, the 35-year-old “Rougarou” isn’t looking to move on to any other pastures, greener or not.
“I had my time in the sun and now it’s my turn to hand over to him,” Prograis said during his post-fight interview. “Good job, Jack. I think for now, I’ll go to bareknuckle and do something else, and let the young guys take over.”
It’s a smart move to make (not the bareknuckle fighting part) for a fighter who’s shown markedly dead legs and a general slowing down over his last three fights. If the retirement sticks, kudos to Prograis for getting out at the right time.
Golden Boy Promotions owner, founder, and public relations nightmare, Oscar De La Hoya, however, managed to inject some of his patented fake-smiley cynicism into a moment that should’ve been all about Jack Catterall’s continued ascension and Prograis’ dignified exit.
“I’m sorry Regis @MatchroomBoxing ruined your career. With the worst matchmaking in the business,” De La Hoya tweeted shortly after the end of the bout.
I’m sorry Regis @MatchroomBoxing ruined your career. With the worst matchmaking in the business.
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) October 26, 2024
When informed of that catty quip, Matchroom bossman Eddie Hearn, who’s never let a thought go unsaid, blasted back at “The Golden Boy.”
“When we signed Regis Prograis, he headlined in New Orleans, defended his world title, made an absolute fortune,” Hearn countered. “Then he had a mega-fight with Devin Haney, made an absolute fortune, and then purely down to Regis Prograis, and I think he deserves so much respect for this, he chose to roll the dice in the UK against Jack Catterall. And Oscar De La Hoya is the biggest bellend I’ve ever met in my life.
“If he don’t respect fighters for trying to be great, because that’s what he says he was always trying to do, then the guy is the saltiest man on the earth.”
Hearn takes a lot of guff from people– and rightfully so. His Matchroom matchmaking does, often, leave a lot to be desired. But he followed the old school matchmaking textbook with Prograis this time around. Snatching up an older fighter on the precipice of a decline, cashing him out and then using him to help elevate a younger contender is straight-up boxing smarts. It’s the kind of savvy matchmaking Top Rank has been using for decades to help elevate their stars (and maximize the worth of their veteran contract players).
So, really, there’s nothing to see hear. Oscar’s laments can be chalked up to just not liking Eddie Hearn and to, perhaps, being overlooked by Prograis when the 2-time junior welterweight champ was looking for a new promoter early last year.
An aging fighter like Prograis is going to be eaten up by the sport, no matter what. As things turned out, Hearn provided the safest path through that boxing-eats-its-own reality.
Paul Magno has over forty years of experience in and around the sport of boxing and has had his hand in everything from officiating to training. As a writer, his work has appeared on Yahoo Sports, Fox Sports, Fight Hype, Max Boxing, Boxing.com, Inside Fights, The Queensberry Rules, Overtime Heroics, Bleacher Report, and Premier Boxing Champions. He is currently the owner and managing editor or The Boxing Tribune. You can follow his Twitter/X account, @boxing_tribune, for breaking boxing news, analysis, and sometimes NSFW commentary. For Advertising, Inquiries, etc., send him an email here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com