As a adorned beginner boxer who educated underneath Evander Holyfield, Regis Prograis appeared destined to carry skilled gold sooner somewhat than later, and he turned these predictions into actuality by incomes the WBA tremendous light-weight championship in 2019.
However having misplaced the title in his first protection after a heartbreaking defeat on factors in opposition to Josh Taylor, the person from New Orleans, LA, vowed to reclaim his spot on the high. In November, 2022, Prograis made good on that promise by knocking out Jose Zepeda to say the vacant WBC super-lightweight title. This Saturday (June 17), Prograis will defend his title in his hometown for the primary time.
M&F sat down with the southpaw, 34, to search out out what he’s picked up from a number of the greats, and why he provides every little thing that he’s acquired in relation to coaching for a battle.
Anybody who has tuned into Prograis’ entertaining coaching vlogs on YouTube will know that the champ likes to begin every day with a run. “Fasted cardio, bro, at all times,” says the fighter of his routine. “I by no means prepare on a full abdomen. I at all times quick.” Prograis says that some boxers wish to eat a giant breakfast earlier than they prepare, however that’s not for him. In reality, it’s usually round 2 p.m. earlier than this athlete lastly sits down for his first meal. “I’ve been doing that for years. It simply works for me,” he shares.
As a super-lightweight, Prograis says that he feels snug within the weight class, however having employed a nutritionist simply over a 12 months in the past, he’s by no means felt higher about making the load earlier than a bout than he does now. To hit his macros, the champ dietary supplements with protein shakes (with water, not milk) and provides a contact of honey for sweetness. “Boxing is old skool, and quite a lot of trainers, they don’t find out about vitamin,” says Prograis. “And, when you get on the next stage, you simply perceive, vitamin is simply every little thing.” The fighter says that previously he’d resorted to sitting in sauna’s earlier than weigh-ins or just not consuming, however now he follows the recommendation of his nutritionist and solely eats what has been authorised.
Regis Prograis Trains to Turn into an Immoveable Object
Whereas Prograis should keep under 140 kilos to suit inside his weight class, this boxer is turning into an immovable object in relation to dominating from the centre of the ring. To realize this, the fighter devotes a lot of his time to coaching legs. “I do quite a lot of stuff,” says than man also called “Rougarou” (Louisiana French for “werewolf” in homage to his grandfather of Native American descent). “So, I run lengthy distance, I run sprints and I run the steps too. After which, on high of that we do swimming and quite a lot of leg workout routines too.” In relation to hitting the pool, Prograis mixes issues up with various classes. Someday he’ll do dash work, and different days the boxer will swim lengthy distance. He additionally works on his lung capability by swimming underneath water.
Regis Prograis Learns from the Legends Who Got here Earlier than Him
Should you see the WBC tremendous light-weight champ out on certainly one of his runs, it’s possible you’ll discover that he likes to put on military boots. He’s been doing that just about because the very starting of his profession. “Within the army, , they prepare, they run miles and miles in fight boots. I kinda do the identical factor,” he shares, explaining the motivation behind this technique of coaching. “The entire nice fighters of the previous, they used to do it, in order that’s actually the one motive I do it … like, from Ray Robinson, Harry Armstrong, Joe Louis and George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, I imply the listing goes on and on, , all people working in boots and I don’t know once we began coming away from it … however that’s one thing I nonetheless do.”
The champ has additionally realized that restoration is a key side of entering into prime situation between fights, noting that at first of his professional profession, he was at all times sore. half-hour earlier than our interview, Prograis says that he was in his chilly plunge tub, and feels that it revives him to the purpose the place he’s feeling nice. “In fact, you must get enough sleep,” notes the champ. “You get massages, , all these sorts of issues.” Prograis is at all times hungry for data and says that he picked up the tip of taking common naps from “The Fighters Thoughts” by Sam Sheridan. “Restoration is tremendous vital as a result of, I imply, in case you really feel unhealthy, you gained’t be capable of prepare,” he explains.
From sparring to swimming, working to lifting weights, Prograis trains a minimum of 3 times per day. Within the health club, the fighter works on explosive energy, noting that he does quite a lot of squats. “We do quite a lot of ball slams,” he provides, sharing that he additionally does quite a lot of stepping and punching whereas sporting a resistance band too. It’s a relentless pursuit with the purpose of proving that he’s the very best on the earth, and on June 17, he’ll get to earn closure on that 2019 title loss by defending the WBC gold at an enviornment he’s pushed previous hundreds of instances; The Smoothie King Heart. There, he (28-1-0) will face Danielito Zorrilla (17-1-0) earlier than a hometown crowd and tells M&F that after that earlier loss, he devoted himself to coaching tougher, and smarter, to reclaim his place. “I’m headlining, and I’m from there,” says Prograis, proudly. “Man, that is huge.” Proper now, in fact, the champ says that he’s too focussed on the battle to let all of it sink in, however he definitely has victory in his sights. “After the battle, it’ll hit me what I completed.”
Regis “Rougarou” Prograis defends the WBC tremendous light-weight title in opposition to Danielito Zorrilla stay on DAZN, June 17.
