New Orleans — It’s no secret that WBC champion, Regis Prograis, likes to give back. Whenever he returns to his hometown of New Orleans, he’s out and about in the community.
“For me growing-up, I didn’t have the inspiration– especially boxing-wise– I didn’t have the inspiration,” said Prograis, WBC Super Lightweight Diamond Belt Champion. “Now I’m number one in the world and I’m from here. I want to show the kids that this is the real deal.”
Even during fight week, leading-up to the biggest match of his career on Saturday, this visit is no different.
“Kids always bring it out of you,” Prograis said. “The kids are out there throwing punches and jumping jacks and doing push-ups. They’re just out there having fun and that’s really what it’s about.”
On top of having some fun and getting moving, at the end, Prograis had one last treat for the kids– giving them all tickets to Saturday’s fight.
Tuesday’s youth training camp was a joint-effort between Prograis and Mack Maine, President of Young Money Entertainment.
“Young Money’s been doing things in the community for years,” Prograis said. “Of course to put my name on it and be involved with the whole Young Money thing, it just made sense.”
It’s the unofficial start to a new partnership between the world champion boxer and the top-tier record label– continuing to forge the bond between New Orleanians at the top of their game.
“New Orleans is a hot-bed for talent,” Prograis said. “No matter what level. We’ve got comedians, we’ve got actors, we’ve got rappers, we’ve got basketball players, we’ve got football players and boxers.”
“It was a no-brainer,” Maine said. “After watching his footage and how Regis handles business and how he handles himself and being from New Orleans. We need to stick together down here of course. We put all our money on Regis. I’m going to start calling-out some fighters soon. I hear a lot of people ducking my boy. When he goes in he’s trying to knock somebody out. He reminds me of Wayne with music– they way he attacks tracks and approaches songs and stuff. I see Regis doing the same thing training all the time, mentally focused, not getting side-tracked. To me, he could be the Lil’ Wayne of boxing.”