Regis Prograis 27-1 (23) will get the chance to become a two-time world champion when he clashes with Jose Zepeda 35-2 (27) later this year.
The 33-year-old from New Orleans has won three fight by knockout since his lone loss to Josh Taylor by majority decision three years ago that cost him his WBA strap.
The WBC has ordered the pair face of for their vacant crown after Jose Carlos Ramirez withdrew from negotiations for the Zepeda fight.
“I’m ecstatic,” Prograis said. “I’ve waited for this opportunity for a long time. When I was a world champion, and I lost my belt, it was like I fell to the bottom of the pit and I just clawed my way up and clawed my way out.
“And now I am back fighting for another title again to become a world champion. I don’t do this just to become a world champ, I want to be known as the best in my division.
“I was a world champion and the number one in the world so for me, it’s about getting back to that same spot that I feel like I deserve. This is a chance to achieve that.”
With both Prograis and Zepeda known for their prodigious punching power, it seems unlikely the bout will last the distance.
“Both of us have tremendous power in each hand,” Prograis continued.
“Zepeda has a bunch of crazy knockouts on his record and I’ve been knocking people out too, so I’ve got to be wary of him and his power.
“But I have supreme confidence in myself. Maybe this is a flaw of mine, maybe it’s not, but when you tell me I am going to fight somebody, I think I’m going to destroy them and there is no way this person can beat me.
“Zepeda is a good fighter, but he has never seen anything like me before.”
Prograis previously considered a move up in weight but decided to stay at 140-pounds with the division getting deeper by the day with a host of top lightweights – including undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney – flagging moves to junior welterweight.
“That’s why I’m staying at 140,” Prograis told Tha Boxing Voice. “All of them are going to have to see me eventually. I really feel like that. Like I said right now nobody saying my name. But once I am a champion again – and I should be champion: in a year, 12 months’ time, I should be champion again no matter what – once that happens, guess what, all them names is gonna have to come to me.
“They’re gonna have to see me. Everybody is gonna have to fight me. There will be no more running.
“Like right now it’s risk-versus-award type of thing… there’s no reward in fighting me. Once I’m a champion again, then we’ll see.
“If I had a dream fight right now, Taylor would be number one. If I had to fight someone next, it would be Josh Taylor, number one.
“Somebody I always wanted to definitely fight is Gervonta Davis. I want to fight him. If it’s at ’35 or ’40, whatever. I can’t do ’35. But if he comes up to ’40 for that. But besides that, I want to be a world champion again. I want to be a world champion.”
