Is Regis Prograis A Candidate for a Bout with Manny Pacquiao?
Reigning WBC junior welterweight champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs) is looking for a fight. When he returns to the ring, could his next fight be against living legend Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs)?
Word on the street is that Prograis is in the mix as a possible opponent for Pac Man. The 140-pound world champion took to social media to address what has become a topic on boxing message boards.
A two-time champion at 140, Prograis has not been in the ring since winning the vacant WBC title with an eleventh-round stoppage over Jose Zepeda in November 2022. Prograis felt his next fight would be against former unified junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez. But on two separate occasions, Ramirez has turned down a fight with Rougarou. It seems unlikely that a match between Ramirez and Prograis will occur.
The last time fans saw Pacquiao in action, he was on the losing end of a unanimous decision verdict against then-WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas in August 2021. A month after his loss to Ugas, Pacquiao announced his retirement.
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S FIRE
Throughout 2023, the buzz has been that Pacquiao is making a comeback. First, there was talk that he could face Conor Benn in the Middle East. Now, there’s word about a possible fight between Pac Man and Prograis.
Rougarou is a fighter that is well-respected by hardcore heads. The 34-year-old is arguably the best junior welterweight in the world. However, he is someone in search of a high-profile, big-money fight. A matchup with a worldwide, mainstream figure such as Pacquiao raises his profile and would be the kind of payday he’s hungered for throughout his entire career.
After Prograis recently announced that he’s a free agent, nothing prevents him from having discussions with Team Pacquiao. The fact that Rougarou took the time to address the matter means something could be brewing. Stay tuned to 3kingsboxing.com for any further updates.
