Regis Prograis Says He Was Terrified, Nearly Pulled Out of Benn Fight

Prograis says he decided to retire before facing Benn and reveals he nearly pulled out on fight day

Regis Prograis confirmed his retirement after losing to Conor Benn and said the decision was made before the fight. He revealed he was “terrified” and close to withdrawing on the day, raising concerns about his condition going into the bout.

“I’m 100% retired, bro. I knew this was my last fight before the fight happened,” Prograis said to Fight Hub TV. “Terrified. Not scared. I was scared. I was terrified. I created this monster in my head that wasn’t really there.”

Hearing a two-time world champion admit he was essentially terrified and ready to pull out on the day of the fight is the kind of raw honesty you almost never see in boxing.

The way Prograis describes it, he was fighting his own fading shadow. When a fighter loses that “dog” in them, every opponent starts to look like a monster.

Prograis’ takeaway that Benn isn’t a “monster” is fascinating because it suggests the fear was entirely internal. Once he actually felt the power and realized he could stand up to it, the mystique vanished.

The former two-time champion Prograis said the desire had been fading and was gone by the time he entered camp. He described going through the same routine each day without the drive that once carried him.

“I just don’t have the passion for it no more. I just didn’t want to do it no more,” he said.

He also revealed how close he came to pulling out, saying the feeling wasn’t normal nerves but something stronger.

“I did not want to fight, bro. I was going to pull out the day of the fight,” he said.

Prograis still went through with it to prove something to himself. He wanted to show he could take the shots and finish the fight against a younger opponent.

“I didn’t even care about winning. I just wanted to prove to myself that I can do this,” Prograis said.

Health concerns played a role in the decision. Prograis said his balance had been off for years and didn’t want to risk long-term damage by continuing.

“I don’t want to be like those older fighters. Can’t talk and can’t walk,” he said.

He leaves the sport on his own terms, but the reality is clear. He fought one last time without the desire to compete, and that’s usually the point where a fighter knows it’s over.

If a checked-out, 37-year-old Prograis who “didn’t want to be there” could take those shots and finish the fight, it raises massive questions about Benn’s ability to hurt the true elites at 147 or 154.

For the critics, this is the ultimate “I told you so.” If Prograis could survive on pure muscle memory and zero passion, it suggests Benn might be more of a commercial product than a pound-for-pound threat.