Conor Benn’s first fight under the Zuffa banner will pit him against former super lightweight champion Regis Prograis on the April 11th Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov undercard.
“April 11 can’t come soon enough, returning to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again, where I made history against Eubank Jr. means everything to me. My last fight there showed the world exactly who I am and what I’m about,” Benn said.
“Fighting on the biggest stages, in the biggest shows, I fear no one. I’m fully locked in and ready to deliver another statement performance.”
“Last time I fought in London, Conor Benn was on my undercard, so this is a full-circle moment for me,” Prograis said. “But this circle will close with me teaching him a lesson on April 11. He’s not fighting some weight-drained super middleweight. I am in shape and will bring home this victory.”
There’s really no defending this one. Prograis (30-3, 24 KO) hasn’t turned in a good performance since stopping Jose Zepeda in 2022 and barely got past the grievously over-the-hill Joseph Diaz Jr last August. Beyond that, though, it’s just baffling; the WBC let Benn cut in line for a crack at their welterweight title, now held by the limited but lucrative Ryan Garcia, and the longer he waits the likelier it is that actual mandatory contender Souleymane Cissokho yoinks the opportunity from him.
And that’s not even mentioning what Zuffa reportedly paid to bring Benn onboard. This is not the kind of fight you make when you’re looking to recoup an eight-figure investment.
