In boxing often times you get more than you expect. That was exactly what we got last Saturday night from Chicago, Il, when former world champions Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr faced each other over 10 rounds in the welterweight division.
It was branded as a loser go home fight but at the end there were no losers although Prograis was awarded the decision with 98-92 and 96-94 twice.
Prograis was expected to be the easy and clear winner with Diaz Jr, a former champion at 130lbs and visibly much smaller, having lost the majority of his most recent fights.
Although Prograis won, it was not easy or clear.
Both southpaws, from the opening round Prograis was the faster and more active scoring quick jabs while controlling the distance between the two. Near the end of the round though Diaz Jr scored an uppercut followed by a straight left that visibly wobbled Prograis. Diaz Jr smelling blood jumped all over his prey throwing power punches in between clinches but to no avail since Prograis survived until the bell.
The fight then followed an entertaining pattern where Prograis would look to box from the outside with quick feet and even quicker hands but Diaz Jr will often neutralize the attack with heavy hands to the head of Prograis.
In the fourth an accidental head-butt opened up a nasty cut under the left eye of Diaz Jr which would take center stage later in the fight.
Even though Chicago at one point was a big fight town decades ago, now their boxing events are few and far between. In fact, the lead promoter of the night, Golden Boy Promotions, made a big hoopla of the fact they were going back to the Windy City for the first time in ten years. The small controversy regarding the cut unraveled in between the fifth and sixth round.
While the ringside doctor was cleaning and checking Diaz Jr’s cut, he wanted check the fighter’s visibility. Two times he held fingers up and both times got the number wrong. Despite of that the doctor let the fight continue.
Prograis was able to pick up the pace in the second half of the fight but Diaz Jr kept right up with him. For the ringside judges it wasn’t enough for Diaz Jr to take the win.
Despite Diaz Jr lost the fight, nobody in the boxing world is calling for his “going home”. At least he has won the right for another payday.
In the main event of the night, Mexican Oscar Duarte took a hard-fought majority decision over hometown favorite Kenneth Sims Jr.
Other Musings
- As it is now his tradition, Tyson Fury is threatening to stay retired once again. These proclamations are par for the course with Fury’s most recent statements consisting of being “too old and grey” for the young men who the sport belongs to according to him. Despite that, a 2026 return is expected.
- Their first fight was one at least the British fight fans waited for, now it is said the second run between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn is expected for the fall in London.
- A tiff has erupted between promotor Oscar De La Hoya and his star fighter Ryan Garcia. Garcia states he has one fight left with Golden Boy Promotions and is anxious to leave while De La Hoya pays that no mind and is looking to make a fight against Teofimo Lopez and not the rematch vs Rolly Romero.
