FLANAGAN VS PROGRAIS: A MAKE OR BREAK FIGHT FOR BOTH MEN?
This Saturday marks the next fight night of the Super Lightweights in the latest edition of The World Boxing Super Series. A fight capturing the imagination this weekend is taking place in Louisiana between interim WBC champion Regis Prograis (22-0) and Manchester's Terry Flanagan (33-1).Prograis yet to taste defeat in his career comes into the fight on the back of his three most impressive wins taking the undefeated record of Joel Diaz Jnr followed by Ricky Burns conqueror Julius Indongo in two rounds and most recently followed up by another undefeated scalp in Argentinian Juan Jose Velasco in eight one sided rounds . A lot of hype has been surrounding Prograis, largely because he appears to punch very hard which is evidenced in his nineteen early wins but has he truly been tested by a proven believing fighter?
Arguably people will say former unified Super-Lightweight champion Indongo was that guy but in all honesty Indongo still looked shell shocked from his one sided beating at the hands of Terence Crawford seven months before. Taking nothing away from Prograis he has dealt with everyone in front of him and in style and that is all you can ask in a fighter.
Flanagan the former undefeated WBO Lightweight Champion is coming of his first ever career defeat, dropping a split decision loss to WBO Super-Lightweight Champion Maurice Hooker in a chess match. Flanagan didn't seem himself and fought Hooker's fight and the right man won a well deserved close decision albeit split.
When I took on board this article i spent a few days scratching my head because it could go one of so many ways and none would surprise me at all. Flanagan at his best i believe can outbox Prograis but will he be at his best and will the Hooker loss have left any mental scars? Does Prograis just hit too hard/accurate and it doesn't matter which version of Flanagan shows up?
For me I am leaning towards the later. Flanagan will be going over to Louisanna thinking he has a point to prove when in all honesty he doesn't. Hooker is a great fighter to who he lost a razor thin decision and it will take a very good fighter to stop him.
However i think in Flanagan's mind he will try and prove that point and engage too early in the fight. I expect Prograis to stop Flanagan on his shield towards the middle of the fight. If Flanagan can start cautiously and make Prograis miss it could swing in Turbo's favour but he will have to stick to a game plan and one that going on Terry's style will have to be near perfect. A fascinating match up which surely the majority of Britain will be behind Flanagan and hoping he can bring home one of the best victorys of a travelling fighter abroad.