Regis Prograis vs. Tyrone McKenna

Nineteenth of March in Dubai, on the Foster vs. Yaqubov & Edwards vs. Waseem undercard. WBO intercontinental super lightweight title at stake, 1st defense of McKenna.

This will effectively be a return into the 140lbs fold for the Cajun-Creole, who in his last two contests failed to make the limit (essentially facing Ivan Redkach last time out at welter, both coming in a few pounds over). He last made weight in his 2019 loss to Josh Taylor.

The incumbent has faced respectable competition thus far but is taking an unquestionable step up in class here. Both of his losses - against countrymen Ohara "2-Tanks" Davies and Jack "El Gato" Catterall - were close, and in fact many felt he was robbed versus Davies...but on the other hand, McKenna very arguably received gifts over Mohammed "The Problem" Mimoune and Rénald "Lion's Heart" Garrido. Mimoune and Catterall are both southpaws, like Prograis - but inferior ones.

 

Two major disadvantages for McKenna:

1. He is facing a deficit in power and skill, especially the former. He is bringing a peashooter to a gunfight, basically.
2. He doesn't have the best track record with southpaws.

He does have a couple of things going for him:

1. The man is certifiably tough.
2. He boasts a 5 inch height advantage over Prograis. He stands at 6'1", three inches more than Josh Taylor and 2½″ more than Julius Indongo, the previous tallest opponents Prograis has faced.

 

What do you mean, these? Last time he and Redkach headlined a Triller PPV, and before that he fought on the Tank vs. LSC undercard on Showtime PPV, and before that was the big TTT showdown. One tune-up in Dubai to snatch a minor belt from a guy ranked #11 in the world by the WBO & WBA isn't too concerning unless this becomes a pattern.

 

I brought it up mainly because, while not so much with Indongo, he did have a hard time with the second tallest guy he boxed. Obviously, that said, nobody's under any illusions that McKenna is a quarter the fighter Taylor is.

But it does mean Regis will have to lunge up for head shots...although 1) he's a perfectly adroit body puncher and content to focus his attack down there and 2) even the basic & stiff Davies was able to reach McKenna's chin a fair amount.

I want that rematch with Taylor for him, but he might need to be "ready" first. Psyche himself up for a couple of years dominating B to B+ sorts, and go into the rematch with the confidence of a fire-breathing dragon to make the difference. But yeah, I get what you're seeing, could swing either way.

 

Graphical representation:

______________ TTT
_____________ Rougarou
____ Catterall
___ McKenna

The Mighty Celt had better hope some insane fluke doesn't happen whereby Prograis rolls his ankle or something, giving McKenna the injury TKO victory and vaulting him closer to his own shellacking at the hands of Taylor (he's already his 11th-in-line contender in two different orgs and "beating" Prograis on paper would have to nudge him way up in a hurry). Because he and Catterall are just about skirting the reasonable limits of unsanctionable mismatches in their upcoming bouts. Taylor vs. McKenna would be a toke over the line.

 

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