Regis Prograis earned the chance to fight for the WBC junior welterweight and believes he will be a world champion once again.
A win against Tyrone McKenna in Dubai on Saturday gave him the chance to fight for one of Josh Taylor’s belts, but he is unlikely to fight the Scot again.
Prograis’ victory came as the fight doctor waved off the fight when McKenna suffered a cut above his eye which could not be sufficiently treated during the match-up. McKenna had been sent to the canvas in the second round but managed to hold on until the sixth before the medical intervention.
“He’s a tough man, I knew he was going to be tough and when I knocked him down, I knew he was going to get up,” Prograis said after the fight.
“But I stayed calm. He kept pushing forward and so I had to change my game plan and box more.
“I’ve been world champion before and I will be world champion again.”
McKenna acknowledged the superiority of his opponent, saying: “He’s world class, he’s heavy handed and he’s probably the hardest puncher I’ve ever been in with. He’s got massive power.”
Prograis then called for a fight with Jack Catterall, who lost to Taylor earlier in the year. Many believed the Englishman deserved the victory, and the close shave prompted the Scot to say he would now move up to 147lbs - opening up a potential clash between Catterall and the American for a vacant WBC strap.