BoxRec

Regis Prograis & Kiryl Relikh and Nonito Donaire & Zolani Tete continue their quest for the Ali Trophy on April 27 in the USA, with a venue currently being finalised.



“We cannot wait to get started with our Season 2 semi-finals and we will announce the venue along with ticket sales in the coming days,” said Kalle Sauerland, Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer.

“All four boxers involved in this spectacular doubleheader impressed in their quarter-finals and these champions will leave it all in the ring to get to the final. Fireworks, guaranteed!”

“First off I'm just excited to continue with the tournament,” said Prograis. “It’s the best fighting the best. That’s what boxing should be about. I know Relikh is a tough and strong fighter and I never look over an opponent but I have no doubt in my mind that I will win.”

“I’m looking very much to the semi-final and the quest for the Ali Trophy,” said Relikh. “When I fight the fans will get the money's worth. I predict just like all of my fights a win for me.”

relikhs never lost a fight on my card, had him beating burns and rances both times

that said , prog looks another level, very strong and relaxed and picks his shots well, i think hes better then taylor

I've got Prograis winning this by clearcut decision. What's cool about this round of the WBSS is that this is the first time they've had different weights competing on the same date at the same venue. That should make for a great double-header.

Best Coast wrote: ↑25 Feb 2019, 03:17 I've got Prograis winning this by clearcut decision. What's cool about this round of the WBSS is that this is the first time they've had different weights competing on the same date at the same venue. That should make for a great double-header.

They've had different weights at the same venue this whole round. Or did you mean just this season?

Regis Prograis & Kiryl Relikh and Nonito Donaire & Zolani Tete continue their pursuit for the Ali Trophy on April 27 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA. Tickets on sale next Friday.

The World Boxing Super Series is returning to Louisiana after last years 140lb quarter-finals in New Orleans.

“We are thrilled to bring the Ali Trophy lights to Lafayette kickoff the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series,” said Kalle Sauerland, Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer. “The fans in Lafayette and around the world can look forward to two unbelievable blockbusters with the best production in the game all on one night.

“The WBSS is about the best fighting the best and to serve up Fight of the Year contenders in the quest for the Ali Trophy and the supreme international superstars involved in this doubleheader at the Cajundome on April 27 will deliver just that .”

Fans wanting to buy tickets are encouraged to sign-up to Ticket Alerts to receive emails reminders when tickets go on sale here.

Fans in the U.S. and Canada can watch all the Ali Trophy semi-finals LIVE, exclusively on DAZN.

Kiryl Relikh (23-2, 19 KOs), Belarus’ WBA title-holder, believes Regis Prograis (23-0, 19 KOs), the WBC Diamond champion, is ‘in for a surprise' in their WBSS super-lightweight semi-final April 27 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA, USA.

Relikh, who is training in Miami, defeated Russia’s tricky Eduard Troyanovsky by a unanimous decision, with all judges scoring it 115-113 in favour of the ‘Mad Bee’, to reach the semi-final.

What is your assessment of your performance against Troyanovsky?

“I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my performance against Troyanovsky. His style was quite inconvenient, as he didn’t engage. I am convinced that Prograis' style will suit me much better.”

What is your opinion of Prograis and the challenge he presents?

“Regis Prograis is, without a doubt a good boxer, but he’s not faced, yet, anyone like me. He’s in for a surprise.”

What areas do you think you have the advantage over Prograis?

“I’m smarter than him, and I’ve had a much better boxing school.”

What is your prediction for the fight?

“There is not a single doubt in my mind that I’ll beat Prograis.“

You have fought a lot of fights 'away from home' - are you excited to once again be fighting on a big fight card in the United States?

“No matter where a fight takes place, the purpose is to win. I am always calm and I like fighting away from home. Of course, fighting in the United States is giving great exposure, so this is an excellent motivation as well.”

jamamb wrote: ↑25 Feb 2019, 00:08 relikhs never lost a fight on my card, had him beating burns and rances both times

that said , prog looks another level, very strong and relaxed and picks his shots well, i think hes better then taylor

Prograis is much better than these guys. And he’s fighting in his backyard. Relikh needs a miracle.

diddy wrote: ↑21 Apr 2019, 02:18 Prograis is much better than these guys. And he’s fighting in his backyard. Relikh needs a miracle.

Call it a 50-50?

Will go the distance.

Prograis: Relikh is Definitely The Biggest Fight of My Career

Regis Prograis (23-0, 19 KOs) and Kriyl Relikh (23-2, 19 KOs) face off for Relikh's WBA junior welterweight title on April 27 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA. The bout, the first semifinal of the WBSS 140-pound tournament, will be broadcast on DAZN.

Whether he intended it or not, Prograis' last fight, a lopsided decision against Terry Flannagan, marks a milestone in his career.

Growing up, Prograis (23-0. 19 KOs) idolized the likes of Mike Tyson and Roberto Duran. Naturally, he gravitated toward a seek-and-destroy modus operandi that "Iron Mike" and "Hands of Stone" had utilized to savagely against their opponents. For the first 22 fights of his pro career, Prograis tenaciously tore into his opponents, often absorbing as many punches as he delivered, relying on his superior punching power and punch resistance to win wars of attrition.

Which Prograis - bull or matador - will show up at the Cajundome?

"I don't know. We'll see what I feel like doing," Prograis said with a sheepish grin and shrug. "It depends on what I feel like doing. We work on a lot of different things in the gym. If I feel like I wanna go there and blast him out and go to war with him, I might do that, or if I feel like I want to go box him and don't get touched, then I can do that. For me it all depends what I see in the first round and what I feel like doing."

It might sound like Prograis is being evasive, not wanting to reveal too much about his game plan in the fight, but he insists he genuinely has no clue as to the mode of combat he will deploy against Relikh. After all, nobody - not even himself nor his team - knew he was going to transform from slugger to slickster against Flannagan until he did it. It was just something he improvised on the spot, much like how Ali pulled the rope-a-dope from under his sleeve against Foreman.

"I just know I can change my style up any time I feel like," Prograis said. "I'm very versatile and I can do different things in the ring. In training (for Flannagan) I was actually coming forward the whole time. Then when I got in the fight I just felt like boxing because I read things online and people said I don't have defense and I can't go 12 rounds. In that fight I proved that I can go 12 rounds and don't have to get hit. He probably landed four punches on me in the whole fight. I probably could have gone 15 to 20 rounds because I was so relaxed in that ring. In every fight I want to have that same relaxed feeling that I had against Flannagan. If I do that feel that nobody can beat me."

Over the last 18 months, Prograis encountered a number of bumps on the road, having won two so-called title eliminator bouts only to be denied a world title shot thereafter. As recently as two months ago, his showdown against Relikh appeared to be on shaky ground and the entire tournament was in danger of coming apart at the seems with Ivan Baranchyk pulling out of the other semifinal because of financial issues with the WBSS. But all parties resolved their differences, Baranchyk came back on board and the tournament was salvaged.

"With the whole World Boxing Super Series, I wanted to stay in it simply because it is for the world title," Prograis said. "As far as getting my motivation up, I'm always in the gym training whether I've got a fight coming up or not. With the World Boxing Super Series, it was in jeopardy but I told my manager, 'look, I really want to give them a chance, I really want to fight for the title, so just try to make it happen as much as possible.' That's what happened and I'm glad it worked out that way."

Although he fought his last two bouts in his hometown of New Orleans, Prograis-Relikh will be fought in Lafayette, almost smack in between Houston and New Orleans. Prograis was uprooted from New Orleans to Houston by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"Lafayette is a fight town," Prograis said. "They've got a lot of good boxing gyms out there. It is right in the middle of Houston and New Orleans - where I live at and where I'm from."

Prograis cedes the strategizing and battle planning to his trainers Bobby Benton and Aaron Navarro. Any game plan, though, might be rendered moot should he decide to venture off script like he did in his last fight.

"I'm taking one fight at a time and I'm not even thinking about the finals right now," Prograis said. "I'm just thinking about the semifinals with Kiryl Relikh right now."

"I don't study my opponents and I've only seen him fight one time. I'm pretty sure he's strong and he probably can hit hard. Without the two losses he's got the same record that I have. That's a lot of knockouts. I'm expecting him to come in strong and in shape and try to give me hell."

In Relikh, Benton sees a well-rounded, battle-tested fighter but at the same time, one with weaknesses that he will be eager to exploit.

"He's tough as nails and he's coming to fight, but there are some holes. He leaves himself open," Benton said.

Benton brought in former national 152-pound champion Quinton Randall (1-0) who made his pro debut in February to spar with Prograis. Randall said his speed and multidimensionality should prepare Prograis for anything Relikh has to offer.

"Relikh is not faster than me and I doubt he has more power than me," Randall said. "When I spar with Regis I give him a different look every time. I'm on the inside working with him, I'm on the outside boxing with him or I'll work him mid range. Each round I mix it up the best way I could by giving him additional looks, being as awkward as I can be and use my speed and my range."

"I predict a late stoppage, between round 9 and 11," Randall added. "I don't see it going the distance. I would say he's gonna break Relikh down to the body and then he's gonna take him out with a head shot."

Thanks to his fan-friendly style, Prograis fought on national airwaves since 2015. While it has been lucrative and life-changing, he has been largely ignored, avoided and brushed aside by many of the big names in the division. A victory over Relikh, he expects, will raise his profile exponentially.

"I definitely think this is the biggest fight of my career simply because there's a title on the line," Prograis said. "Right now at 140 pounds, no one is calling me out. I don't know if they're scared or if it's because I don't have a full title yet. But it'll change once I get the title."

"I'm still hungry, I still train hard all the time," Prograis added. "The main thing is I know exactly what got me here. It's a set formula that got to me to where I'm at. I feel like I'm increasing and I want to keep getting better. The hunger doesn't go nowhere."

Late note:

Tete injured.

Fight with Donaire is canceled.

Donaire will remain in the tourney and fight an unnamed replacement opponent Saturday.

Hunter or Ruiz?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑22 Apr 2019, 08:55 Call it a 50-50?

Will go the distance.

10-90 with bookies.

Stats and Stakes

Regis Prograis
Age: 30
Title/Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’8
Weight: 139 ¾ lbs.
Stance: Southpaw
Hails from: New Orleans, Louisiana
Record: 23-0, 19 KO
Rankings: #1 (TBRB, Ring), #2 (ESPN, Boxing Monthly, BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 1st title opportunity (1-0, 1 KO in interim title fights)
Last Five Opponents: 98-8 (.925)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: Julius Indongo TKO2; Terry Flanagan UD12

vs.

Kiryl Relikh
Age: 29
Titles: WBA Super Lightweight (2018-Present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’9 ½
Weight: 140 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Minsk, Belarus
Record: 23-2, 19 KO
Rankings: #4 (TBRB, Ring), #5 (ESPN, Boxing Monthly), #10 (BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 2-1
Last Five Opponents: 141-13-1 (.913)
Current/Former World Champions Faced: Ricky Burns L12; Rances Barthelemy L12, UD12; Eduard Troyanovsky UD12

The Pick: Going with the short form, let’s skip straight to the pick. This is far from a forgone conclusion. Relikh fights hard and brings some heavy hands together in combination. He’s not as quick or athletic as Prograis but he is probably the most dangerous professional the home state challenger has faced to date. If Relikh can get home some of the awkward lead lefts he sometimes throws, and force Prograis to the ropes, this could be close. The feeling though is Prograis is a little too slick and quick and he’ll make Relikh pay when he misses. Relikh is the sort of fighter Prograis will be better for having faced after what should be at least a clear decision win.

Quarterfinals was streamed online at WBSS channel. This will be not ?

Cent0089 wrote: ↑27 Apr 2019, 17:25 Quarterfinals was streamed online at WBSS channel. This will be not ?

No mention of it.

That was when they had no TV deal and it was on Youtube.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑27 Apr 2019, 18:03 No mention of it.

That was when they had no TV deal and it was on Youtube.

Well, then i can go to sleep Thank you man

Cent0089 wrote: ↑27 Apr 2019, 18:22 Well, then i can go to sleep Thank you man

Get a stream

Stephon "The Dyslexic" Young looks nervous as hell.

How the heck Relikh was a champion of the world?

The guy is a very limited fighter, slow as f.ck, no skills, no defense.

He is worst than Chávez JR.

But well, this guy lost against Ricky Burns, thats says all.

Very poor card.

Impressive methodical breakdown by Prograis!!

Regis' head movement and defense was the biggest surprise for me. Cant wait for his fight vs Josh Taylor who should get into the final without too much trouble.

prograis pounds taylor or baranchyk

I saw first 4 rounds of this fight on youtube without knowing result, great fight, if this was on DAZN I might need a subscription.

I think Prograis beats Mikey Garcia.

Susej_SOG wrote: ↑27 Apr 2019, 23:35 But well, this guy lost against Ricky Burns, thats says all.

Many had Relikh beating Burns actually. As did I.

It was a hometown decision.

Prograis did a great job as expected. He was a bit careless in the 2nd, but he recollected himself and dominated.