Regis Prograis Wants Haney Or Ryan Garcia Next, But Are Those Fights Realistic?

Regis Prograis says he’s interested in fighting Devin Haney or Ryan Garcia next, following his tougher-than-expected 10-round unanimous decision victory over Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

(Credit: Golden Boy/Cris Esqueda)

Haney, Garcia: Out of Reach?

It’s next to impossible for Prograis to get a fight against Haney or Ryan Garcia next. Those fighters are existing in a different galaxy in terms of the money they’re making and the opposition they’re fighting now.

Prograis’s Reality Check

Neither of them is going to want to turn their careers backward to fight a struggling ex-champion, trying to keep his career going after an unexpected brutal war against a washed-up ‘JoJo’ Diaz.

Prograis (30-3, 24 KOs) feels that he’s now a fighter in demand after his war with ‘JoJo’ Diaz (34-8-1, 15 KOs) is one of the most entertaining fights this year. Regis won by the scores 98-92, 96-94, and 96-94.

After the fight, Regis said he wouldn’t be interested in a rematch with Diaz unless Turki Alalshikh or Golden Boy Promotion boss Oscar De La Hoya pay him “big money.”  It’s unlikely that Regis will get the big money he wants for a rematch offer because he wasn’t fighting a high-level light welterweight.

‘JoJo’ Diaz had a 2-6 record going into their 10-round undercard bout last Saturday night in what was viewed as a crossroads, loser-retires type of fight. The former WBA and WBC 140-lb champion Prograis had lost his two previous fights against Jack Catterall and Devin Haney going into the bout.

Can Prograis Secure Big Fights?

“After this, I do have a lot of options right now,” said Regis Prograis to the media when asked if he’s interested in fighting Devin Haney or Ryan Garcia after his win over Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz last Saturday night in Chicago.

“Either I could stay at 140 to chase another belt or go up to 147 or 144 and go fight Ryan Garcia or whatever. Right now, my manager, I’m going to let him figure it out,” said Prograis about his next fight.