Tim Bradley puts his analyst cap on for a discussion with Fight Hype about the upcoming junior welterweight title fight between Regis Prograis and Devin Haney. Bradley says he’s spotted the same holes in Prograis’ game that he thinks Haney has, and only really gives Prograis a puncher’s chance to win.
“Prograis, although he’s a champion, he still seemingly has a lot to learn and I think that’s what Haney and them sees,” Bradley said. “I was actually watching Prograis last night and I was watching his fight against Zorrilla, and I was noticing things that he wasn’t doing.
“There’s some things that he still needs to learn and I think Haney and them, they see it too. If he comes in there and changes some of those thing or if he learns from his mistakes, then he has a damn good chance of beating Haney. But I can just tell you this; he can’t be nice. He got to be much meaner than what he showed in the Zorrilla fight because he wasn’t physical enough.
“Haney is not going to allow you to fight. Haney is going to fight at his pace. Haney is longer than he is, Haney can move. I see a lot of videos of Haney moving side to side, trying to really build his agility up, build his strength in that fashion. So it’s going to be a boxing match. He’s going to put on a hell of a boxing display and Prograis got to be ready for that.
“There’s going to be times where Prograis going to have to sell-out and he’s going to have to get gritty and he’s going to have to get nasty. He going to have to be The Rougarou in order to beat Haney. He’s going to have to hurt Haney. That’s the only way I see him winning.
“He’s going to have to hurt him! He’s going to have to knock him out. He’s going to have to put him on the canvas. He going to have to buzz him. He’s going to have to pressure him all night. That’s what he’s going to have to do because Haney, again, he’s going to outbox him. Too tactical, too clever, too smart, just fought at a high level, he’s been here before, he’s not spooked.
“I’m gonna say 50/50 because Prograis’ got a puncher’s chance, man. He got to hurt Haney. Haney first time at 140, he’s definitely going to feel the difference as far as punching power goes. He’s definitely going to feel the difference.”