Andrew Lopez, ESPN
NEW ORLEANS — It wasn’t the efficiency Regis Prograis sought after to position on in his homeland, however he was once ready to effectively safeguard his WBC juvenile welterweight identify on Saturday night time.
Prograis defeated Danielito Zorrilla via break resolution on Saturday night time on the Smoothie King Middle. Prograis gained on two playing cards 118-109 and 117-110 hour one scorecard went Zorrilla’s method, 114-113.
Prograis (29-1, 25 KO) was once fair about his efficiency and felt he can have placed on a greater display for the native family.
“My performance was s—. I can admit to myself it wasn’t a good performance,” Prograis stated. “The last two days, I felt the hometown jitters. The hometown fights, they are the worst. I felt it going into it yesterday into today. I got the job done. I kept the belt. I’m happy about that but I’m definitely not happy about my performance.”
Zorrilla (17-2, 13 KO) took the struggle on not up to a future’s realize as he was once a past due alternative for undefeated Australian fighter Liam Paro who pulled out of the struggle with an shock.
Following the struggle, Prograis sat with Matchroom boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as the 2 spoke with newshounds about what choices might be then at 140 kilos. Invoice Haney, Devin Haney’s father, was once in attendance on Saturday however Hearn stated there are enough quantity of choices for Prograis’ then struggle.
Hearn discussed Haney, Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis as all admirable fights which may be made for Prograis.
“For me, it’s up to Regis,” Hearn stated. “I mean, I think the great thing about tonight is there’s going to be a lot of people queuing up to fight. I’ve not heard any of those big names mention Regis’ name before tonight, other than Devin. But now I think you’re going to see people actually target Regis Prograis that he might be beatable now.
“Which we all know, there’s a fully other efficiency to return from Regis Prograis. I believe that’s the only factor that I’m glad about and I consider Devin desires that struggle.”
It was the first successful title defense of Prograis’ career. After winning the WBA title at 140 pounds from Kiryl Relikh in 2019, Prograis dropped the belt in a majority decision to Josh Taylor later that year. It remains the only loss of his career.
This time, Prograis defended his crown.
In the third round, Prograis dropped Zorrilla with a left hand and started to build on that momentum the rest of the fight. However that quickly went away as the two danced and plotted on each other for the remainder of the fight.
“He got here to live to tell the tale,” Prograis said about Zorrilla. “He didn’t need to get knocked out. He got here to live to tell the tale. I used to be chasing him. I simply needed to chase him for 12 rounds.”
Prograis went to the mat three times but none were ruled knockdowns by referee Ray Corona. In the first round, Zorrilla stunned Prograis with a right knocking him off balance, and both men went to the ground as Prograis tried to clutch with Zorrilla falling into the champion. However, it was ruled as a push. In the 10th round, Prograis’ fall was called a slip and then he again touched the mat in the 12th on a push.
He admitted after the fight that he felt the first round fall didn’t feel like a knockdown in the moment but looking back at the replay, it could have been.
This was the first major championship fight inside the Smoothie King Center since 2000 when undisputed light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. defeated Eric Harding in 2000 at what was then called New Orleans Arena (Derrick Gainer also defeated Freddie Norwood for the WBA featherweight title on the same card).
It was also the third card that Prograis has headlined in New Orleans. His previous two fights were at the Lakefront Arena on the campus of the University of New Orleans.
New Orleans rap duo Fresh X Reckless performed during Prograis’ walk as the 34-year-old put his own flair on the entrance with a 10-foot Rougarou — Prograis’ nickname and a werewolf-like monster from local folklore — following him in.
However, because of those “homeland jitters” Prograis mentioned, there’s a good chance his next fight won’t be in the city.
“I don’t suppose then date,” Prograis said. “We’ll almost definitely progress at the highway and after come again right here ailing the sequence. However no longer then struggle.”
Hearn stated there are alternatives for Prograis which may be in Las Vegas or the Center East for his then struggle.
The undercard featured a weighty dissatisfied as Ramla Ali misplaced her first skilled struggle as she was once blocked within the fourth spherical in opposition to Julissa Alejandra Guzman.
Guzman (13-2, 7 KO) dropped Ali early within the 5th spherical and completed issues off in 8th with a counter left that brought about Ali to buckle within the middle of the hoop. As Ali (8-1, 2 KO) tried to rise, she stumbled and referee Keith Hughes waved it off giving Guzman the victory.
