For the first time in 54 years, New Orleans has a world champion in the boxing ranks. In the World Boxing Super Series Semifinal matchup in the Super-Lightweight division, Regis Prograis took care of business and got the TKO win over Kiryl Relikh to not only advance to the Finals of the Super-Lightweight Division and won the WBA Super-Lightweight Title in the process.
“ I told y’all I’m the (expletive) real deal,” Prograis said moments after the dominant performance against Relikh in the Cajundome, “These little boys at 140 can’t (expletive) with me. I am the best and I’m going to keep proving it. That guy is a tough-ass dude. He’s never been stopped and I just dominated the whole time. They can’t mess with me, I’m too unstoppable.”
The New Orleans native started out strong on defense, waiting for his opportunity to strike. That opportunity came when Relikh left himself wide open when turned around and that gave Prograis an opportunity to get a knockdown in the final moments of the first round.
It was more of the same throughout the rest of the fight with Prograis finding opportunities to land strikes to the head and busted open his opponent in the second round. Early in the sixth round, it became all too clear who would be victorious and Relikh’s corner threw in the towel.
Prograis will now await the winner of the Josh Taylor-Ivan Baranchyk semifinal on May 18th. Date and location for that fight is to be determined.
Other Results on the Card:
Lightweight Fight: Melissa Hernandez defeats Selina Barrios by unanimous decision
Super-Lightweight: Jonathan Montrel defeats Ivan Reyes in the second round due to a shoulder injury
Light Heavyweight: Sean Hemphill defeats Dennis Williams in the first round by TKO
Lightweight: Jeremy Hill defeats Kaylyn Alfred in the third round by KO
WBSS Bantamweight Semifinal for WBA Super World Championship: Nonito Donaire defeats Stephon Young in the sixth round by KO
-Clint Domingue