Regis Prograis’ new daybreak, on the age of 34, with Matchroom has been threatened by Devin Haney’s. He discusses his opponent on Saturday, the fee that has include making ready for him, and who he really believes Eddie Hearn desires to win, with Declan Warrington
BN: After you struggled towards Danielito Zorrilla in June you mentioned that the stress of combating in your house metropolis of New Orleans had contributed to your efficiency. Does combating Devin Haney in San Francisco put the identical stress on him?
RP: Devin Haney’s not from there. He retains saying it’s his hometown. He’s not from there; he was born there however he was raised in Henderson, Nevada. Maybe his household’s from there. But I’m truly from New Orleans – in New Orleans we’re all linked. That’s the distinction between him and the Bay Area; I’m linked to New Orleans. It’s a large distinction.
Maybe he does [feel under pressure]. Maybe he doesn’t. I don’t understand how he’s going to really feel. I can’t fear about how Devin feels – I’m simply nervous about me.
California you’ve gotten a tax; in Nevada there’s no state taxes, so it’s a must to pay taxes on combating out right here. The combat was presupposed to be out right here however I suppose no venues was obtainable in order that’s why we couldn’t combat in Nevada.
[But] should you bought a good crew – accountants and all that stuff – it shouldn’t matter. We’ll determine it out. Obviously I’m having to pay taxes and stuff like that – it’s what it’s; we gotta pay taxes to reside in this nation – so I’m not really nervous about it.I’m snug in California. I used to reside right here – I received my second title right here once I fought [in 2022, Jose] Zepeda. I be ok with it. I lived right here; I skilled right here. I may have protested. When they mentioned “We’re gonna fight in the Bay Area” – my contract truly says I’m combating in New Orleans or Houston. But I like California.
BN: What did you consider Haney so not too long ago vacating his remaining light-weight titles?
RP: It’s thoughts video games – perhaps overconfidence – but it surely’s thoughts video games. The Haneys attempt to play each thoughts trick they’ll. But it truly makes me stronger – [which is] what they don’t perceive. Another factor, I bought examined six occasions for this combat – six occasions. They got here final week – individuals hold coming; hold testing me. That’s a signal of “You might be scared”. “You think I’m cheating so you’re scared of me.” That’s one other thoughts sport, but it surely’s enjoying into my thoughts, as a result of it’s making me an increasing number of assured. “You doing all this stuff,” they enjoying thoughts video games, “you can’t play that with me”. I don’t care about it. All that stuff make me stronger. They’re not in cost [of the drug testing] however why so many occasions? Six occasions? Did Floyd [Mayweather] and [Manny] Pacquiao even get examined six occasions? This is loopy. Four of ‘em was blood and urine. I don’t suppose they’re in cost [of testing] however they positively may have put in there “We gonna test this many times; test him; test him; test him”. Why six occasions? That’s loopy. I’m fairly positive it’s going to be seven or eight occasions [by fight night]. It’s loopy.
Every week earlier than the combat they doing that stuff. Bill [Haney, Devin’s father, trainer and manager] tries to play these thoughts video games. It perhaps labored on a earlier opponent.
Haney towards Vasiliy Lomachenko (Getty Images)
BN: You’ve modified your routine to organize for this combat out of California…
RP: This is a large combat. I sacrificed extra. My dad [Vidal] was like, “Man, if you get this fight you need to stay in California the whole time”. That’s kinda what I did. When I began listening to his identify – rumblings – I began coaching in [Houston] Texas. Then I got here out right here means earlier than camp began; I used to be working; I used to be sparring. I got here out right here for a month and I went again to Texas for 3 weeks and I got here out right here the remainder of the time. It’s really been like a four-month camp. All the sacrifices I’m doing; dedicating myself extra. I [typically] got here out right here to California and did two or three weeks, however this time it was a entire camp.
It’s being separated from my household. It’s hard, bro – it’s really hard. I haven’t seen my children in a very long time. Me and my spouse [Raquel] is beefin’ proper now – we ain’t even speaking. It’s hard. It really is hard. I’m not gonna lie – I say the incorrect stuff generally. Tensions are actual excessive proper now, and I take it out on her and stuff. That’s kinda why.
When I come out right here, man, whenever you in coaching camp you simply – coaching. That’s it. There’s nothing else. I prepare thrice a day. I prepare; I eat; I sleep. I prepare; I play a online game or one thing like that. That’s all I do. When I’m at residence I’m a household man so I’m taking my children to their practices; I’m with my children on a regular basis; I’m doing stuff. I need to be there for my children. When I’m right here, I’m actually simply targeted on coaching.
BN: Bill Haney watched Josh Taylor-Teofimo Lopez, after which your victory over Zorrilla, they usually then signed to combat you…
RP: It’s regular. He was scouting. That’s what he does. He’s good at that, and, you recognize, they selected me. It’s an insult. But it’s a good insult. It’s positively an insult, however I embrace this – this is without doubt one of the greatest fights of my profession as a result of I got here off a dangerous win, so it’s cool to me.
BN: You usually thrive towards come-forward fighters, and Haney isn’t usually a come-forward fighter…
RP: I don’t suppose it’s going to be a drawback. I really don’t see this being a hard combat. I really don’t, man. I been working with these guys out right here in California, and I feel that they’re truly higher than Haney. I been sparring with larger guys; quicker guys; positively have far more energy than him. I been simply doing what I must do, so I really can’t see it being that hard a combat. Once I begin touchdown it’s not going to be that hard of a combat.
I don’t suppose he’s going to return to me, however he may [try to] stand his floor. I’m ready for if he desires to remain there; if he desires to maneuver; even when he turns southpaw, I’m prepared for it. That’s simply how assured I’m feeling. I by no means did a camp like this earlier than, like so lengthy and dealing so, a lot. That’s why I’m feeling so assured. “Whatever – whatever you do.” I hold stepping my sport up.
BN: How good a fighter is he?
RP: He’s good. I’m not gonna mess with him – he’s good, that’s it. He will get hit; he’s not defensive like I feel individuals suppose he’s. He was large at 135 and I feel he had success due to that, and I do suppose he has fast toes; he has a good jab, however on the similar time he doesn’t have an excessive amount of energy. He’s good. I respect him for that. But on the similar time, dealing with me goes to be completely different.
I do suppose he beat [in May, Vasyl] Lomachenko. I feel it was shut. If it was simply Loma and Devin simply combating with out the belts, perhaps Loma may have gotten it, or perhaps a draw – it was actual shut – however on the similar time Devin was the undisputed champion so it’s a must to take the combat away from him. Loma didn’t do sufficient to take the combat. It was a tremendous, tremendous shut combat. When I watched it individuals was saying “Boxing’s rigged” and stuff like that. I’m like, “Bro, it’s not rigged, it was a close fight; that’s just how it is”. I nonetheless suppose Devin did sufficient to tug it off.
BN: It’s been instructed he’s moved up in weight to keep away from the strongest fighters at 135lbs…
RP: I feel 135lbs is aggressive. I positively suppose he desires to steer clear of Shakur [Stevenson]; I feel he does need a Gervonta [“Tank” Davis] combat, however I simply suppose he can’t make the burden. That’s it. He really can’t make the burden no extra. Devin has dimension on him, so the burden is simply too hard for him to make. Even once I was sitting throughout from him, “He does have some size – how does he even make 135lbs?” – as a result of I’m a good dimension at 140lbs. So he may even have hassle making 140lbs. We’ll see.
BN: Do the additions of Haney and Ryan Garcia to the 140lbs scene wherein you, Lopez, Taylor and Jack Catterall had been already distinguished make it even higher than the light-weight division that’s been getting a lot consideration?
RP: You have larger stars at 135lbs, however 140lbs might be the most well liked. You nonetheless bought individuals like Josh Taylor, like [Jose Carlos] Ramirez that was champions; they nonetheless there. They’re not the most well liked however they’re nonetheless there – 140lbs is without doubt one of the hottest divisions for positive.
BN: It’s uncommon for these at 140lbs to be in rivalry to earn the character of paydays usually on supply in additional historically “glamorous” weight divisions…
RP: I missed weight a few occasions, they usually had been saying “You need to go to 147lbs”, and I simply wanted to rent a nutritionist and hold making 140 as a result of I noticed that this was going to be one of the best division. I noticed all these guys. “They gonna come up.” I noticed that, and that’s why I advised individuals “I’m gonna be the champion again”. Look what’s occurring proper now – I’m within the good spot. If I’d been at 147lbs – they wished me to go to 147lbs to combat Maurice Hooker a whereas in the past – I used to be like “Why would I do that?”. I could make some cash doing this. Look on the larger fights. I like to have a look at the longer term, and that’s what’s occurring proper now. All these guys are coming as much as 140 – it’s one of many hottest divisions in boxing. I’m tremendous glad that I stayed the place I’m at.
BN: There’s a tattoo of Marvin Hagler on your proper arm…
RP: Definitely certainly one of my favorite fighters of all time. I don’t really combat like him an excessive amount of however I simply love how he was so gritty. He was disciplined; he stayed at one weight his entire profession. That’s type of how I need to be – I need to be remembered like him, so far as that was his division. “Haney, you was at 135, you come to 140 – you going to get whooped at 40. Go to 47 you might win belts at 47, but this is gonna be my division.” That’s what I’m doing it for.
I got here up hard, and he did too. It took him a very long time. Even when he received his championship he wasn’t celebrated. He fought over there in England, and after he received they was throwing bottles and stuff like that. He wasn’t even having fun with his victory of being a champion, and that’s one thing he labored to do for therefore lengthy. I really feel the identical means. I had a lengthy hard highway to get to the place I’m at. It’s completely different. When you get right here, it feels higher.
Regis Prograis and Eddie Hearn (Getty Images)
BN: Do you suppose Eddie Hearn desires you to beat Haney, one other Matchroom fighter?
RP: I advised him that. I mentioned, “Eddie, I’m gonna knock your boy out – ‘cause that’s your boy. I know it; that’s your boy; you text and stuff like that; that’s cool, that’s your boy but you gonn’ be highly disappointed”. But that’s why I like boxing. Everything can go towards you, however on the finish of the day whenever you get within the ring it’s simply two individuals, and the referee. It’s you versus your opponent. Everything can go towards you; the media can go towards you, however whenever you get in there you may’t disguise. It’s you and that particular person and nothing else issues. The betting odds doesn’t matter; the favorite doesn’t matter; the promoter. It simply issues about you and him.
He mentioned “That’s not my boy”. I mentioned “Eddie, you full of shit, that’s your boy”. He mentioned “He left me” and stuff like that. I mentioned “Eddie, that’s your boy, I know it’s your boy” – ‘cause after my fight he’s bought a image of Eddie on his telephone, after my combat, so that they textual content and all that stuff. That’s his boy and I perceive that, and for me that’s cool. But I advised him, “I’m gonn’ whoop your boy; I’m gonn’ beat his ass”.
Yes [it frustrated me at the time] but it surely’s anticipated. Eddie’s a particular person – you may inform who he likes. He’s throughout Anthony Joshua; he loves Anthony Joshua; he likes Devin a lot. He’s not gonna disguise who he likes. He likes who he likes, and that’s advantageous with me. It’s cool, man. He’s a particular person similar to everyone else – he has a facet he leans in direction of. It’s not hard emotions. I’ma beat Devin and, we cool.
After this, me and Matchroom has yet another combat however I’m cool with working with Matchroom once more. As lengthy as every thing goes clean like I feel it ought to, and don’t hold enjoying the favourites – proper now Eddie is enjoying that with the Devin factor – however after this I really feel like it’ll shift. Take care of Devin and we’ll see what occurs after that.
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