WBC junior Welterweight champion, Regis Prograis successfully defended his title in his hometown in New Orleans. However, his performance left much to be desired. On Saturday night at the Smoothie King Center, Prograis secured a split decision victory over Danielito Zorrilla. While he emerged victorious with two judges’ scorecards favoring him 118-109 and 117-110, one scorecard narrowly went in Zorrilla’s favor with a 114-113 result.

Prograis, despite retaining his title, openly acknowledged his disappointment with his performance and the missed opportunity to provide an impressive display for his local fans. Zorrilla stepped into the fight on short notice, replacing Liam Paro, who withdrew due to injury. Despite this, Prograis recognized the challenge of facing a late replacement opponent and ultimately prevailed inside the ring.

This victory marked his first successful title defense after capturing the WBA title in 2019. Throughout the fight, the champ showed glimpses of his potential, delivering a knockdown in the third round. However, the intensity dwindled as the two fighters engaged in a cautious dance, resulting in a lackluster affair that failed to fully captivate the audience. In addition, WBO Welterweight champion Terence Crawford and undisputed Featherweight champion Amanda Serrano joined the fans reacting to Prograis’ lackluster victory.

Terence Crawford and Amanda Serrano voice their disappointment after Regis Prograis’ title defense

Crawford took to Twitter and claimed that this fight was a really close affair and could have gone either way.

Serrano, on the other hand, was impressed by ‘Rougarou’s’ honesty after the fight. According to her, not many would have come out and brutally judged their own performances after a lackluster showing.

Moreover, a user named C.Rich went as far as calling the whole fight a ‘scam’.

However, one user @FRG thought that Prograis clearly won the fight.

A fan had his mind changed about the 34-year-old champion. While he previously thought that Prograis would easily beat undisputed champion Devin Haney, he wasn’t too sure about that now.

The public opinion surrounding Prograis’ performance was mixed. While some fans and pundits praised his ability to secure the win despite an off-night, others expressed disappointment and raised doubts about his future prospects. However, with potential matchups against notable opponents on the horizon, ‘Rougarou’ will have an opportunity to showcase his true capabilities and regain the confidence of the boxing community.

Read More: “Everybody but Me”: Regis Prograis Has a Bone to Pick With Adrien Broner

What did you think about Prograis’ victory over Zorrilla? Let us know in the comments.

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