The previous two-time champion initially said he was done after his one-sided loss to Conor Benn, yet he’s already talking a couple of return later in life. “I’ll come back in a couple of years once I’m like 40 years old,” Prograis said to Ring Magazine. He added that he won’t be fighting at 140.
His mentioning that it wouldn’t be at 140 kilos is essentially the most realistic a part of the plan. Making weight at age 37 is tough, but doing it at 40 could possibly be even tougher.
“I believe Conor Benn can develop into a world champion because anything can occur in boxing,” Prograis said. “But as for him as a fighter, he has some things to work on. He’s like a six out of 10. He’s not that good. He’s just not polished enough.”
Prograis pointed to timing and shot setup because the essential issues. He said he could see Benn’s punches coming and brace for them, which made the rounds manageable even in a fight he lost clearly on the cards.
That’s necessary going into the talk around a fight with Ryan Garcia. Prograis didn’t pick a side, but he framed it as dangerous each ways.
“Garcia has power, but Benn does, too,” he said. “I don’t know the way Garcia would react if he got caught. Each guys can hurt one another.”
Benn is currently positioned for a title shot at welterweight and got the win over Prograis. Nonetheless, the performance didn’t quiet doubts. A slower, older Prograis still had moments where he read him clean.
The takeaway for Prograis is easy. He isn’t walking away eternally, just kicking the bucket down the road. As for Benn, the lesson is obvious. His power keeps him in the combination, but his technical game continues to be a piece in progress.