“I don’t care about the weight,” Prograis told Boxingscene.
It feels like a classic case of a veteran fighter trying to take the psychological high ground when the contract is already stacked against him. Between the Zuffa Boxing support and the home field advantage in London, the conditions are ripe for Benn to succeed.
By saying he doesn’t care if Benn steps in at 180 or 200 pounds, Prograis is trying to project total confidence in his skill set. However, there is a massive difference between “don’t care” and the reality of fighting a guy who may have a 15 to 20 pound weight advantage by the time the opening bell rings.
Regis’ logic is that Benn is making a tactical error by backing down after spending all of 2025 at middleweight (160 pounds) for the Eubank Jr. streak. Regis believes Benn is “killing himself” to get back.
The oddsmakers clearly disagree with Prograis. Benn is currently a massive favourite, around -1300, while Prograis sits as a huge underdog at +700. This is one of the biggest gaps Prograis has ever faced.
That suggests the “smart money” believes the 37-year-old is being brought in strictly as a high-name-value opponent to look good on a resume.
If Benn is indeed shedding muscle as fans have noticed, he probably plans to balloon back up once he steps off the scale on April 10th.
Interestingly, Prograis spoke to Terence Crawford for advice. Crawford apparently told him how to handle a naturally bigger man using the same lateral movement and “angles over power” approach he used against bigger opponents. If Prograis can channel even a fraction of that “Bud” Crawford IQ, he might be able to make the 150-pound version of Benn look very clumsy.
At 37, Regis knows this may be his last chance at a massive payday and a return to the elite conversation. His “I don’t care” attitude may be the only way he can mentally process the fact that he is in a disadvantageous situation.
