As a embellished newbie boxer who educated underneath Evander Holyfield, Regis Prograis appeared destined to carry skilled gold sooner relatively 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 towards 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 seek out out what he’s picked up from a number of the greats, and why he provides every thing that he’s acquired on the subject of coaching for a combat.

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, all the time,” says the fighter of his routine. “I by no means prepare on a full abdomen. I all the time quick.” Prograis says that some boxers prefer to eat an enormous breakfast earlier than they prepare, however that’s not for him. In actual fact, it’s typically 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 comfy within the weight class, however having employed a nutritionist simply over a yr in the past, he’s by no means felt higher about making the burden 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-fashioned, and you already know a variety of trainers, they don’t learn about vitamin,” says Prograis. “And, when you get on the next stage, you simply perceive, vitamin is simply every 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 out to be an Immoveable Object

Whereas Prograis should keep under 140 kilos to suit inside his weight class, this boxer is changing into an immovable object on the subject of dominating from the centre of the ring. To attain this, the fighter devotes a lot of his time to coaching legs. “I do a variety of stuff,” says than man often known as “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 a variety of leg workout routines too.” On the subject of hitting the pool, Prograis mixes issues up with diverse periods. 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 one in every of his runs, chances are you’ll discover that he likes to put on military boots. He’s been doing that just about for the reason that very starting of his profession. “Within the army, you already know, 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 purpose 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, you already know, all people operating in boots and I don’t know after 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 moving into prime situation between fights, noting that at first of his professional profession, he was all the time 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. “After all, it’s a must to get ample sleep,” notes the champ. “You get massages, you already know, all these forms of issues.” Prograis is all the time 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 necessary as a result of, I imply, in the event you really feel dangerous, you gained’t have the ability to prepare,” he explains.

From sparring to swimming, operating to lifting weights, Prograis trains at the least 3 times per day. Within the gymnasium, the fighter works on explosive energy, noting that he does a variety of squats. “We do a variety of ball slams,” he provides, sharing that he additionally does a variety of stepping and punching whereas carrying a resistance band too. It’s a relentless pursuit with the intention of proving that he’s one of the best on the planet, and on June 17, he’ll get to earn closure on that 2019 title loss by defending the WBC gold at an area he’s pushed previous hundreds of occasions; 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 large.” Proper now, in fact, the champ says that he’s too focussed on the combat to let all of it sink in, however he definitely has victory in his sights. “After the combat, it’ll hit me what I completed.”

Regis “Rougarou” Prograis defends the WBC tremendous light-weight title towards Danielito Zorrilla stay on DAZN, June 17.