Roy Jones Jr Backs Regis Prograis, Warns Conor Benn

Roy Jones Jr says Regis Prograis is coming to win, not collect a payday, and warns Conor Benn must dominate to prove he belongs at this level

Roy Jones Jr doesn’t believe Regis Prograis is stepping into Saturday night for a payday, and he made it clear that Conor Benn is the one under pressure to prove something.

Benn faces Prograis in the co-main event of the Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov fight card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, returning closer to his natural weight after two fights at middleweight against Chris Eubank Jr. The bout is set at a 150-pound catchweight, placing Benn between divisions as he continues to talk about a future move toward Ryan Garcia at 147.

The matchup has drawn mixed reactions. Prograis is 37 and moving up from 140 pounds, while questions have circulated about his condition heading into the fight. Some have suggested the former two-time champion could be nearing the end, taking one more high-profile opportunity.

Jones dismissed that idea outright when discussing the fight on the All The Smoke Fight podcast.

“It happens for some people, but it is not happening for Regis like that. Regis is a pure, true guy, who wants to win. He is a winner. He is not going to cash out with nobody. If he comes in there, he thinks that he is going to beat you,” Roy Jr. said to All The Smoke about Prograis coming to win tonight.

He pointed the focus back toward Benn, describing the fight as a moment that will define how he is viewed going forward.

“With that being said, that is why it is also going to be a crossroads fight for Conor, too. If Conor can’t dominate this fight, it is going to say ‘Conor, you ain’t what we thought you were’.”

The event is scheduled to stream live on Netflix. Benn enters the fight chasing bigger names and title opportunities, but the expectation is clear. He can’t afford to lose or look poor against a veteran moving up in weight.