Former junior welterweight titleholder Regis Prograis will be an interested spectator when Ring, IBF and WBA junior welterweight beltholder Josh Taylor and WBC and WBO titlist Jose Ramirez collide on Saturday at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Prograis, who is rated No. 2 by The Ring at 140 pounds, gave Taylor all he could handle, dropping a close 12-round majority decision in the final of the World Boxing Super Series, in October 2019.

Since then the 32-year-old New Orleans-born fighter has successfully returned to action with impressive wins over Juan Heraldez (TKO 3) and Ivan Redkach (TKO 6).

“I think it’s going to be a good fight,” Prograis (26-1, 22 knockouts) told The Ring. “Honestly, It’s a good 50-50 fight.

“It’s a huge fight for both of them, this is history. If Ramirez wins, he’ll be the first Mexican to ever be a four-belt champion, and Taylor, if he wins, he’ll be the first person from Scotland to be a four-belt champion.”

Taylor at war with Regis Prograis. Photo by Damon Gonzalez / LatinBox

Prograis thinks Taylor will use a different strategy for Ramirez than the one he employed when they met.

“With me, I was better on the outside and he forced me to fight on the inside,” explained Prograis. “I don’t think he’s going to try to do that with Ramirez because Ramirez is a real strong inside-fighter, but he’s not really that good on the outside. I think it’ll be the opposite game plan against him.

“I bought into [Taylor’s] game plan, which was smart on his part, dumb on my part. He wanted me to fight on the inside, I was like, ‘OK, let’s go ahead and fight on the inside and bang it out.’ I don’t think he’ll do the same thing with Ramirez because one of [Ramirez’s] best chances [to win is to] stay on the inside and bang the body.

“[Taylor] probably should stay on the outside, move his feet, move his head and pick him off with the jab. In the past, Ramirez has had trouble with boxers; he had trouble with [Jose] Zepeda and he had trouble with Viktor Postol.”

Prograis foresees a close fight but leans toward his old adversary to claim all the junior welterweight marbles.

“I think Taylor should be able to outbox him, keep the southpaw jab in his face all night, and then he can hit him with some big shots,” he said. “If Josh tries to keep him on the outside, he should win, but I think it’ll be a great fight. Hopefully I could get the winner down the line.

“I don’t think it’s going to be an easy night for Taylor. I just think Taylor should be able to edge it out. I think it will definitely be a close fight, I see a split decision for Taylor.”

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Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @AnsonWainwright

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