Devin Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) vs. Regis Prograis (29-1, 24 KOs)
When: Saturday, December 9, 2023
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
TV: DAZN
Weight Class: WBC 140-Pound Championship Fight
Betting Odds: Devin Haney (-450), Regis Prograis (+300)—Odds by Bovada – A bookie where you can bet on the fight live-in-progress!
Fight Analysis:
Devin Haney battles reigning champion Regis Prograis for the WBC 140-pound belt on December 9. The belt-holder is no easy-pickings, with only a majority decision loss against Josh Taylor separating him from perfection in the ring. He has been near the top of the 140-pound class for a while, is a respected puncher, and represents a tough out for anyone at this weight. He last fought in June with a split decision over Danielito Zorrilla. Haney, meanwhile, is coming off what was a somewhat-disputed decision over the still-excellent Vasyl Lomachenko in May, as he now moves up to another weight class. Will he continue his run of wins, or will he run into a brick wall in the form of Prograis?
Haney is the unbeaten A-side of this equation, pitted against an aging longtime stalwart of the 140-pound class in Prograis, a loser only once in a career nearly a dozen years old. It’s a high-level matchup where you can either figure the younger and more highly-regarded Haney pulls through or that the hard-hitting Prograis represents some nice underdog appeal. It’s not like Haney has appeared invulnerable, but at 25, nine years Prograis’ junior, he has earned his status as a decent-sized favorite.
I think the trouble for Prograis is that despite a long career, world championship success, and some nice wins, he has never really scored the kind of win that would strike fear in the hearts of Haney backers. But he has ridden his power pretty far and before his last fight, had four straight KOs since losing to Taylor in ’19. But struggling with Zorrilla in his last fight wasn’t a great look for Prograis, who was in his hometown. With Haney having scored two wins over George Kambosos, a win over Lomachenko, and some other big wins, he is actually the fighter with the more-impressive resumé, despite fewer fights and almost a decade his opponent’s junior.
