Conor Benn unfazed by outside noise over Zuffa switch as Regis Prograis dismisses injury speculation
Regis Prograis insists he isn't paying attention to speculation suggesting he is injured ahead of Saturday night's fight with Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; Benn says he is not feeling any extra pressure following his switch to Zuffa Boxing from Matchroom
Thursday 9 April 2026 13:07, UK
Conor Benn and Regis Prograis will try to knock each other out on Saturday. For now, they remain on mutual noise-blocking ground.
Benn's new deal with Zuffa Boxing continues to be a prominent storyline, while Prograis has touched down in the UK greeted by speculation he is nursing an injury.
The pair are scheduled to face off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night as Benn returns to the ring for the first time since his unanimous decision victory over Chris Eubank Jr in November's rematch.
His shock split from Eddie Hearn's Matchroom sparked a significant reaction from the boxing world, but Benn insists he is focused solely on business in the ring.
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"I don't really focus on the noise," he told Sky Sports. "I'm locked in, dialled in, that's the priority. Everything else is just noise. I'm here to do one job.
"I'm really not into all the noise. It's nothing like the Eubank fights, it's less personal, there's no ill-feeling towards Regis. I'm going to go in there and do a job and make this fight what it's supposed to be."
It is a drastic change in pace and pre-fight atmosphere for Benn in comparison to the ugly war of words that dominated build-up to his fights with Eubank Jr.
There is no hate, no animosity, no heated rivalry, but instead a pivotal rung in his ladder. There does also remain an unwavering spotlight, heightened by his switch to Zuffa.
"Pressure is a privilege, I've had pressure my whole career," Benn added. "I don't feel pressure from the switch to go out there and perform, I go out there and do everything I can to be the best version of myself and give myself the best chance to be the best fighter I can be.
"I believe I beat anybody on their day. For me it's not pressure, why is there pressure? I'm going in there to fight a 147 pounder, the pressure was going in there to fight Eubank, going up to middleweight, fighting my arch nemesis, the family rivalry, the feud - that was pressure."
Prograis is moving up to 150lbs to fight Benn at a catchweight as the latter comes back down having fought Eubank Jr at middleweight.
"I stay disciplined," said Benn. "People going 'you can't drop down from 160 for three years and then come down to 147', for me it's like 'cool, watch me, I'll do it'. I was walking around at 175 for the Eubank fights, now I'm 3lb over in fight week."
Benn's last stoppage victory was a second-round TKO win over Chris van Heerden in April 2022. He doesn't plan on letting Saturday's fight go the distance.
"I want an early night for sure," said Benn.
Prograis: I'm a better fighter than Benn
Prograis insists he "can't complain about nothing" as he swats away at rumours he is carrying an injury ahead of Saturday's bill, topped by Tyson Fury against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
"It's why I don't read anything," he told Sky Sports. "Let people say what they want about me being injured.
"It's some type of narrative or conspiracy. When I got here I had people asking me 'Are you sure? Are you okay? We have a replacement', I think somebody else is trying to put their fighter in my place. They're trying to be part of this show.
"I'm not in it to prove anybody right, I'm here to prove myself right. I'm not worried about nothing, I don't see anything or read anything online, I stay away from that stuff. I'm in my own world."
The 37-year-old is set to fight in the UK for the third time in his professional career, having lost out by majority decision to Josh Taylor at The O2 in October 2019 and more recently suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Jack Catterall in Manchester.
Prograis was the WBA super-lightweight world champion in 2019 before going on to hold the WBC super-lightweight belt from 2022 to 2023 following his knockout win over Jose Zepeda. He would later surrender his WBC title in a unanimous decision loss to Devin Haney.
He maintains that he is Benn's toughest test yet, even in the latter stages of his career.
"Whatever he brings I am prepared, I feel I'm a better fighter, I have a better resume, I'm more seasoned, I'm more proven," said Prograis.
"I still think I'm better. Can people name who he's fought who is better than me? Look at his resume, look at my resume."
Prograis arrives 30-3 with 24 KOs on his record, his most recent stoppage, like Benn, coming in 2022 when he defeated Zepeda. That featured amid a run of fourth straight stoppage wins, and Prograis insists he still packs a knockout threat with which to meet Benn in the middle.
"I know how hard I hit, you never lose your power," he said. "I have all that stuff in me to knock him out."
