NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — With a split decision win over Danielito Zorilla Saturday night, New Orleans native Regis Prograis made good on his promise to successfully defend his WBC super lightweight title.
As predicted, the heavily favored Prograis pursued the Puerto Rican challenger, Zorrilla, the entire fight, even knocking him to the canvas in the third round.
The Rougarou would have to use all 12 rounds for just the third time in his career in order to retain his title.
“Once I dropped him all, I put him down in the third round and, you know, he felt the power and he really wasn’t ready to engage. You know, he just ran around the rest of the fight. It was hard to catch him. You know, I have to go to the gym and improve on some things. I kept the belt. I’m still the champion. That’s a good thing. But I really wasn’t impressed with my performance,” said WBC Super Lightweight Champion Regis Prograis.
The city’s only two-time world champion was grateful for the support shown by more than 6,300 in attendance at the Smoothie King Center, but Prograis admits the hometown crowd may have affected his performance.
“Well, that’s what the hometown jitters come from because I’m in tune with the crowd sometimes. Most time I’m in tune with the crowd. So I heard people saying ‘Regis’ and ‘Rougarou’ and all kinds of stuff like that. So, I didn’t want that to get in my head, and alright, press the fight more. And then, you know, get hit with some crazy stuff,” said Prograis.
With the win, Regis Prograis improves to 29-1 overall, with 24 knockouts and 5 decisions. The champ says that after Saturday’s bout, his claim of being the world’s best 140-pound fighter in the world may now be in question.
“It will probably put a dent in there, to be honest. It will probably put a dent in there right now. Sometimes in boxing, you don’t have good nights all the time and now people might call me out and they might do different things. I just have to go to the gym, and work and improve,” says Prograis.
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