“Regis was in his prime. Conor Benn has never been considered that guy. I agree, Regis probably would have beat him,” said Edwards to Mill City Boxing.
That view isn’t built on nostalgia. It comes from the gap between who Prograis used to be and who showed up for this fight. The earlier version was a pressure fighter with timing, punch selection, and durability that made him one of the best at 140. The fighter Benn met was older, coming off uneven performances, and moving up to a weight that favored Benn physically.
The matchmaking reflects that reality as well.
“If he was the Regis of 2018, 2019, he’d have never got this fight,” said Edwards.
That line explains why the debate exists at all. Benn did what he was expected to do against a declining opponent, but he didn’t deliver the kind of performance that changes how he is viewed against stronger competition. Beating Prograis at this stage answers one question, but it leaves a more important one open.
Benn is still chasing full respect at the top level, and nights like this don’t quite get him there.
The Prograis who fought Josh Taylor in 2019 was a nightmare of timing, inside fighting, and durability. By the time he faced Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he was 37 years old and admitted afterward that he knew it was his final fight before even walking into the ring.
Prograis had lost that half-step of twitch reflex that allowed him to counter-punch effectively. Moving up to a 150-pound catchweight essentially gifted Benn the physical advantage. Prograis was always a natural 140-pounder; Benn is a huge welterweight who has even toyed with middleweight.
