REGIS PROGRAS looks set to be the next American star refusing to fight in the UK – amid constant scoring controversies.
The former WBA super-lightweight put on a fight of the year contender with Josh Taylor in 2019 but was beaten by split-decision.
Regis Prograis was beaten by Josh Taylor in 2019
Jack Catterall controversially lost to JoshTaylor
Prograis disputed the result but the thrilling nature of the fight lives long in the memory, opposed to the three judges scorecards.
The same cannot be said for Taylor’s contentious points win over Jack Catterall last month, which sparked an internal and police investigation.
It has put the likes of Prograis off returning to fight Britain’s best completely, unless sent an offer he could not refuse.
He told SunSport: “I don’t think I’d come and fight over there and fight a UK fighter in the UK.
“I definitely won’t do that again unless they offer me a crazy, crazy amount of money.
“Even before my fight with Taylor, people told me, ‘Don’t go to the UK, don’t go the UK’. Everyone told me, ‘Do not go fight in the UK’.
“For me, I kind of got suckered into it, being stupid, but at the time they didn’t give me no options. They told me I could fight in Manchester or London.
“That was it. But people know, they’ll say, ‘Don’t go the UK, you might get screwed over’.”
Taylor’s 12-round battle with Prograis was hailed as an instant classic with many feeling the Scot was the rightful winner.
But his American rival disagrees and admitted Caterall’s heartbreak reinforces his choice to make his UK cameo a one and done.
Prograis said: “Caterall definitely won that fight, it was a terrible decision.
“He’s from the UK and Scotland is part of the UK, but at the same time they were in Scotland, and Taylor got the decision.
“A lot of people are scared of that, they don’t want to do that.”
Prograis, 33, is still remaining on the road, having recently signed a deal with Dubai-based promotion Probellum.
And he returns on Saturday against Irishman Tyrone McKenna, 32, with the title picture still unclear.
Taylor, 31, is set to snub a rematch with Catterall, 28, to move up to the glamoured welterweight division.
It will see his WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO undisputed titles vacated – leaving Prograis in a position to pounce.
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He said: “They just named this fight as a WBC final eliminator, so that means the next fight I’ll fight for the WBC title again.
“So most likely I’ll be a two-time world champion in 2022. I just want to stay active and hopefully we can stay busy.
“That’s my two main goals; to be champion again and remain active.”
Regis Prograis is the former WBC super-lightweight champion
