Prograis Predicts Benn's Risky Strategy Will Ultimately Backfire

Regis Prograis has cautioned that Conor Benn's high-stakes gamble will ultimately prove to be a costly mistake when the two fighters meet in the ring this weekend. Benn is set to return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the site of his previous middleweight victories over Chris Eubank Jr, for his third consecutive bout at the football ground. Prograis, a former super-lightweight world champion, is moving up to 150lbs to face Benn at a catchweight with no rehydration limit. "They've certainly set the terms in his favor, but I'm confident in my ability to win," Prograis stated in an interview with Sky Sports. "I've spent my entire career fighting at 140lbs, so this is a significant jump for me. I proposed a weight stipulation for the day after the fight, but they refused, saying it wasn't going to happen. I told them I didn't care, that I just wanted to make the fight happen, regardless of the weight. I know I'm the better fighter, and I'm not concerned about the weight stipulations. Let's just make the fight happen." Prograis remains supremely confident of emerging victorious and has also revealed that he won't be bound by a rematch clause after his bout with Benn. "We don't have a rematch clause in place," the American boxer said. "However, if the fans want to see a rematch and it makes sense, then why not? My original plan was to move up to 147lbs, but I didn't plan on going to 150lbs. They contacted me on just six weeks' notice, but since I was already training, it worked out. They're definitely taking a risk by facing me, given that I've been in the gym and am ready to go." Prograis doesn't consider Benn to be in the same class as him. "I don't think so, I just can't see it. I know I'm the better fighter," he said. "I think Benn is an average fighter, neither exceptionally good nor exceptionally bad. If you look at our accomplishments, mine far outweigh his. I've been ranked No 1 in the world twice and have been a champion twice, which is something he's never achieved. The fight against Chris Eubank will be a completely different story. It'll be a different level of competition, with different styles at play. I know I'm way better than him." A victory over Benn would serve as a springboard for Prograis to launch another bid for a world title. "It'll open up so many opportunities for me," he said. "I know that after this fight, something big will come my way. I want to become a three-time champion."