According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, junior welterweight titeholders, Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis will take separate bouts before they are mandated to fight each other.

On July 7 at the Save Mart Center in his home region of Fresno, California, Ramirez will defend his belt for the first time when he meets Danny O’Connor in the main event of a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card.

One week later, on July 14 at the Lakefront Arena at the University of New Orleans, Prograis (21-0, 18 KOs) will fight in his hometown for the first time in the main event of another Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card. He will face Juan Jose Velasco as long as Velasco wins a fight he has scheduled for Friday night in his home country of Argentina and comes away uninjured.

fter Prograis, 29, won the vacant interim belt by stopping former unified titlist Julius Indongo in the second round on March 9, and Ramirez (22-0, 16 KOs), 25, of Avenal, California, outpointed Amir Imam for the vacant full title on March 17, they were supposed to fight next based on a ruling at last year’s WBC convention ordering the winners of the two bouts to meet on a 50-50 split if the fight went to a purse bid.

However, Ramirez promoter Todd duBoef of Top Rank and Prograis promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN on Thursday that they have agreed to forgo the fight for now with the hope of having it take place perhaps next summer when they believe it can be much bigger commercially.

“It’s a great fight now. We want it to be a great event as well,” duBoef said. “It’s back-to-back weekends, back-to-back hometowns. The scenario we like is two young guys building momentum and using the upcoming fights to showcase themselves and make their fight much bigger. We want it to be more than just a great fight. We want it to be a big fight, which is what the sport needs.”

if Prograis wins his summer fight, he is headed to the World Boxing Super Series eight-man single-elimination tournament, which will begin in September but has not yet been formally announced. If he wins the tournament — and he’ll be favored to do so — he could emerge with two major titles as well as the WBC’s symbolic diamond belt and a date with Ramirez.

“We’re banking on the skill sets of both fighters and the marketability of what we can do behind them to create a bigger match down the road,” duBoef said. “This is collaborative between both sides. We’re not hiding from anybody. Lou communicated his needs, and we communicated our needs, and then we figured out a solution that works for everybody, and that was good collaborative behavior.”

“We know this fight can be built into something,” DiBella said. “There’s an interest in doing the fight right now and we had backing from Showtime (where Prograis has been fighting). We could have gone to purse bid, and the fight could have been delayed. Ramirez isn’t going into the tournament, but Regis wants to be part of it, and he couldn’t have both — the fight right away and then the tournament. So with this scenario, Regis can go into the tournament. The tournament will be over in less than a year. Regis will get exposure in the tournament, and Todd can keep building Ramirez on his ESPN platform. If these kids keep winning the fight won’t be smaller in a year. At that point they’ll be much bigger.”

“It has been my dream to become a world champion. It’s now my duty to defend this belt at home for my city, fans and everything I fight for,” Ramirez said Thursday. “I’m blessed to have this opportunity. I dedicate this fight to the immigrants that contribute to and make our society a better place. I’m pro-immigrant and proud.”

Newly crowned WBC Super Lightweight champion Jose Ramirez is mandated to face interim champion Regis Prograis, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Since Jose won the title, we’ve been busy, but he is also looking forward to enjoying these events in his honor,” manager Rick Mirigian told ESPN. “He loves his community and they love him.”

Fans would be advised not to shake his right hand too hard, however. According to Mirigian, Ramirez suffered a “tiny fracture” at the base of his thumb on his right hand during the action-packed fight with Imam.

“It’s nothing significant. The doctor said he needed to rest it for 30 days and it should be fine,” Mirigian said. “It’s a tiny fracture at the bottom of his thumb. It’s nothing that needed surgery or was that severe. The doctor just recommended he not use it for the next 30 days.”

“Consistent to the WBC ruling during the world annual convention in Baku, Azerbaijan, the WBC is hereby ordering the free negotiations period for the mandatory fight to unify the WBC and the WBC interim championships,” Sulaiman wrote.

“Once again, congratulations and we look forward to a tremendous fight, which is already of the world interest,” Sulaiman wrote.

Ramirez said he has no problem fighting Prograis next if that has to be the case. “I signed up to fight the best to become the best. I fear no one,” Ramirez said. “We know Prograis should be next and I’m willing to take on the challenge that we both deserve. I will rest and enjoy the moment for a couple of weeks, and then start where I left off.”

He’s a good fighter, but I don’t think he brings much value to the table for a big fight until someone promotes him. Let him get known somewhat and you’ve got something,” Mirigian said. “I agree with Arum that he needs the exposure, but Jose will fight him. But for a big fight to happen, I just feel this guy needs some more promotion under him.

“He needs to be built somewhat outside the ring. We’ve put the work in outside the ring as well as inside the ring. Jose is ready to fight this guy and that’s what he wants, but we’ll let Bob Arum and Top Rank make those decisions. But I agree with what Top Rank is proposing to make the fight bigger.”

Top Rank is ready to make the fight with Prograis next if it has to.

“There have been some very preliminary discussions [with DiBella] about a couple of different scenarios,” Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN. “However it may work out, it works out. And if we have to fight Regis next, then that’s what will happen. He’s a terrific fighter, as is Jose, but I don’t view [Prograis] as a second coming of Henry Armstrong.”

Brooklyn, NY (March 15, 2018) DiBella Entertainment is coming off highly successful back-to-back weekends, from promoting the heavyweight championship of the world between Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz, to getting top-rated contenders Regis Prograis, Ivan Baranchyk, and Richard Commey in line for world title shots, as well as seeing several prospects continue to rise up the rankings with impressive victories.

“It has been a tremendous past two weekends for DiBella Entertainment,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “The boxing world witnessed Deontay Wilder show the heart of a true champion to secure his signature victory at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Women’s boxing crowned a new champion in Alicia Napoleon and saw the emergence of a new exciting attraction in the New York area. At the Deadwood Mountain Grand, in South Dakota, super lightweight Regis Prograis won a share of what will be his 140-pound WBC green belt and established himself as one of the sport’s rising superstars. With his new trainer Pedro Diaz, Ivan Baranchyk fought the best fight of his career and became the mandatory challenger for Mikey Garcia. In San Antonio, lightweight Richard Commey gave himself a great birthday present with a sensational knockout to earn the mandatory versus Robert Easter.”

On Saturday, March 3, DiBella Entertainment promoted the WBC Heavyweight World Championship between champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) and previously undefeated challenger Luis Ortiz (28-1, 24 KOs). In the highly anticipated bout before a crowd of 14,069–the second largest boxing crowd at Barclays Center–two of the best heavyweights in the world engaged in a phenomenal battle with Wilder overcoming serious adversity to notch his seventh WBC title defense by stopping the hard-hitting Cuban in the 10th round.

Alicia Napoleon (9-1, 5 KOs), of Lindenhurst, Long Island, NY, was featured on the Wilder-Ortiz undercard and won the WBA Women’s Super Middleweight World Title, displaying her championship class by defeating Femke Hermans (6-1, 3 KOs) via 10-round unanimous decision. After winning 11 amateur titles, including two New York Golden Gloves titles and a National Golden Gloves title, Napoleon turned pro in August 2014. Having won her world title in front of a large cheering section at Barclays Center, it is clear that Napoleon has established herself as a new female boxing star attraction in New York.

Trained by Joe Higgins, Freeport, NY’s junior middleweight contender Patrick Day (15-2-1, 6 KOs) made the first defense of his WBC Continental Americas Title on the undercard, winning a unanimous decision against Kyrone Davis (13-2, 5 KOs). Going into the bout, both Day and Davis had stellar amateur pedigrees, with Day a New York Golden Gloves champion and US Olympic alternate and Davis a two-time National champion. Day won his belt in front of local fans at Long Island’s NYCB Live last July, earning a thrilling unanimous decision against previously unbeaten Eric Walker.

DiBella then traveled to the Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood, South Dakota, for a sensational six-bout card on Friday, March 9, that had the capacity crowd on their feet throughout. Hitting all three local TV stations and four different radio outlets in nearby Rapid City before Thursday’s weigh-in, DiBella became an instant celebrity in the area and was surrounded by well-wishing boxing fans on the night of the event.

Headlining the “SHOWTIME Boxing: Special Edition” telecast, Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (21-0, 18 KOs) put himself on the world stage with a stunning second-round stoppage of former unified champion Julius Indongo (22-2-1, 11 KOs) to capture the interim WBC Super Lightweight Title. The contest made history as it was the first world title fight ever staged in South Dakota. As the interim WBC titleholder at 140 pounds, Prograis will meet the winner of Saturday’s clash in New York between Jose Ramirez and Amir Imam for the WBC belt. Prograis will be watching intently from ringside at Madison Square Garden, eager to take on the winner and become the first world champion from New Orleans since Willie Pastrano, more than 50 years ago.

With his new trainer, Pedro Diaz, Belarus-born, Brooklyn-based junior welterweight Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk (17-0, 11 KOs) participated in the evening’s co-featured bout, enamoring fans in attendance with his most impressive performance yet. Known for his all-action style and last seen on SHOWTIME in a war against Abel Ramos, in one of the best fights in the history of the “ShoBox: The New Generation” series, Baranchyk dismantled the game former world title challenger Petr Petrov (38-6-2, 19 KOs) over seven rounds, dropping him three times en route to a stoppage victory. It was his fifth appearance on SHOWTIME. The win earned Baranchyk, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Fight Promotions Inc., and Holden Productions, and managed by David McWater’s Split-T Management, the #2 ranking at 140 pounds by the IBF, and put him in line for a shot at newly-crowned champion Mikey Garcia.

New Zealand heavyweight prospect Junior Fa (14-0, 8 KOs) opened up the SHOWTIME telecast, staying unbeaten with an eight-round decision win versus Craig Lewis (14-2-1, 8 KOs). It was the third fight Stateside and second appearance on SHOWTIME for Fa, who holds two amateur wins over WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker, as he works his way up the rankings and into title contention.

Once ranked the #2 featherweight in the world, Hartford, Connecticut’s Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard (27-1, 15 KOs) earned the fourth victory of his comeback against Jesus Valdez (22-4-1, 11 KOs) to seize the WBC USNBC super featherweight title. Trained by Connecticut Boxing Hall of Famer Paul Cichon, Remilard resumed his career in April 2017 following a six-year ring absence. Prior to his lone defeat to Mikey Garcia in March 2011, Remillard had accumulated the WBC USNBC, NABF and NABO titles at 126 pounds. He is now ready to prove himself against the 130-pound division’s elite and top-rated fighters.

Cleveland’s Charles Conwell (7-0, 5 KOs), a 2016 US Olympian and rising junior middleweight star, has kept a busy and impressive start to his career since turning pro last April. On the Prograis-Indongo undercard, the 20-year-old earned a six-round unanimous decision against the experienced Juan Jesus Rivera (28-20, 18 KOs). It was last November when Conwell made his television debut on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series. A highly accomplished amateur, having amassed a 132-14 record, Conwell is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Holden Productions, and is managed by David McWater’s Split-T Management.

Resuming his career following an injury-induced 14-month layoff, Tulsa, Oklahoma’s heavyweight prospect Trey Lippe Morrison (14-0, 14 KOs), son of former heavyweight world champion Tommy Morrison, kept his perfect knockout percentage intact with a third-round stoppage of Oswaldo Ortega.

The following night, on Saturday, March 10, Ghanaian Richard Commey (26-2, 23 KOs), trained by Andre Rozier and Gary Stark Sr. in Brooklyn, NY, handed Alejandro Luna (22-1, 15 KOs) his first defeat with a blistering sixth-round knockout, in an IBF lightweight elimination bout from the Freeman Coliseum, in San Antonio, TX. He is now the mandatory challenger to champion Robert Easter, setting up a rematch of what was a hotly-contested battle in September 2016.

Regis Prograis won the WBC Interim Super Lightweight title with a spectacular 2nd round stoppage over former world champion Julius Indongo at The Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood, North Dakota.

Prograis dropped Indong at the end of the first round from a jab. Prograis dropped Indongo three more times in the next round with hard left hands, and referee Ian-John Lewis stopped the bout at 2:54.

Prograis, 140 lbs of Houston, TX is 21-0 with 18 knockouts. Indongo, 139.6 lbs of Omaha, NE is 22-2.

“I had to put on a show for SHOWTIME, for Deadwood, and for all my fans in Houston and New Orleans and just the whole division,” said Prograis. “I had to put on a show for everybody. I am now the man at 140.”

“I want the real title now, and I don’t think those two dudes will fight me after tonight,” said Prograis. “Indongo only had one loss to Terrence Crawford, the pound for pound best, and I stopped him a round before Crawford did. I don’t see anybody trying to fight me right now.”

Junior Fa remianed undefeated with an eight-round majority decision over Craig Lewis in a heavyweight bout.

Fa, 256.6 lbs of Papakura, NZ won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 76-76, and is now 14-0. Lewis, 247.8 lbs of Detroit, MI is 14-2-1.

“I’m happy I was able to get the decision, but I wasn’t happy with my performance at all,” said Fa. “If I had to give myself a grade, it would be an F. I fought with too much emotion the first few rounds and that threw me off a little bit.

“I was pretty surprised with the one judge who saw it even. I saw him getting tired but I was just flat tonight. I can learn a lot from this fight and where I went wrong and what not to do in my next fight.”

“I needed a little more time to train as my conditioning fell off a bit towards the end,” said the former National Golden Gloves gold medalist Lewis. “But overall, I was happy with my performance, I thought it was probably a draw.”

Ivan Baranchyk stopped former two-time world title challenger Petr Petrov in round eight of their scheduled 12-round IBF Junior Welterweight Elimination bout.

Baranchyk dropped Petrov with the 1st punch of the fight, which was a jab. Baranchyk dropped Petrov in round two from a combination, and at the end of round six with a big right. Baranchyk landed power punches throughout the fight, and the biut was stopped by referee Mark Nelson at 1:18 of round eight.

Baranchyk, 140 lbs of Brooklyn is now 17-0 with 11 knockouts. Petrov, 138.5 lbs of Madrid, Spaid is 39-6-2.

“I thought I fought a more controlled than in the past and something my new coach has been helping me with,” said Baranchyk, who is currently ranked No. 4 in the IBF 140-pound division. “I knew I had to keep punching to the body, punching to the body. And I did that well tonight.

“I was surprised they stopped the fight when they did. I felt like I won every round and controlled the fight. I knew I won the fight. It was a good fight for me.”

DEADWOOD, S.D. (March 8, 2018) – Undefeated 140-pound contender Regis Prograis and former unified world champion Julius Indongo made weight on Thursday ahead of their 12-round main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION for the vacant Interim WBC Super Lightweight World Championship on Friday, March 9, on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Prograis (20-0, 17 KOs), of Houston by way of New Orleans, has scored knockouts in 13 of his last 14 fights and is a rising star in the wide-open 140-pound division. Indongo represents the toughest challenge of Prograis’ career with his lone loss coming to one of the top fighters in boxing, Terence Crawford.

In the co-feature of the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader, fellow undefeated 140-pound contender Ivan Baranchyk (16-0, 10 KOs) will meet former world title challenger Petr Petrov (38-5-2, 18 KOs) of Ryazan, Russia in an eliminator for the IBF’s No. 2 position at 140 pounds. The 25-year-old Baranchyk is currently ranked No. 4 in the IBF at 140 pounds and owns seven wins over previously undefeated fighters.

Opening the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast, undefeated heavyweight Junior Fa (13-0, 8 KOs), of Papakura, New Zealand, squares off against Craig Lewis, (14-1-1, 8 KOs), of Detroit, Mich., in an eight-round bout. The 28-year-old Fa made an astounding statement in his US network debut, stopping Fred Latham in the first round in Cleveland on ShoBox: The New Generation.

The event is presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Fight Promotions Inc., Holden Productions and Banner Promotions. Tickets, priced at $200, $80 and $60, are on sale now and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com or by calling (877) 907-4726.

In a non-televised undercard bout, undefeated heavyweight prospect Trey Lippe Morrison will face Oswaldo Ortega in his first fight in 15 months after suffering a hand injury. Lippe Morrison is the son of former heavyweight world champion Tommy Morrison.

The doors open and first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. More information on Deadwood Mountain Grand can be found on their website at www.DeadwoodMountainGrand.com.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND COMMISSION OFFICIALS:

Regis Prograis vs. Julius Indongo – 12-round Interim WBC Super Lightweight World Championship

Prograis: 140 pounds

Indongo: 139 ½ pounds

Referee: Ian John-Lewis; Judges: Jack Woodburn (CAN), Juan Carlos Pelayo (MEX), Rey Danseco (USA)

Ivan Baranchyk vs. Petr Petrov – 12-Round IBF Junior Welterweight Title Eliminator

Baranchyk: 140 pounds

Petrov: 138 ¾ pounds

Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Benoit Roussel (CAN), George Hill (USA), Pasquale Procopio (CAN)

Junior Fa vs. Craig Lewis – 10-Round Heavyweight Bout

Fa: 256 ½ pounds

Lewis: 247 ¾ pounds

Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Rey Danseco (USA), Juan Carlos Pelayo (MEX), Benoit Roussel (CAN)

FINAL QUOTES:

REGIS PROGRAIS:

“Indongo’s style is not basic at all but I’m easy and I’ve been able to make the adjustments I’ve needed once they named the new opponent.

“He’ll probably try and stay on the outside, and as soon as I hit him he’ll try and box me. It depends on what I want to do. I might want to box him on the outside, or I might want to get on the inside and brawl with him. It depends on how I feel.

“The next five weeks are going to be amazing for the 140-pound division. It’s wide open and anything can happen. There are a lot of paydays out there.

“Both of the guys that I’ve been sparring with are bigger than me. They’re real big, probably 20, 30 pounds bigger than me, and they’re left-handed and they have a lot of power. That’s what I’m getting ready for. Julius Indongo is going to look little compared to them.

“Indongo is a two-time world champion, so I don’t have any complaints about facing him. When they told me about the switch, I was actually happy. They asked me who I wanted to fight and I said, ‘Give me somebody good.’ When they brought up his name, I said ‘yes.’ I knew he would eventually be a future opponent for me.

“I think he’s good. He has deceptive power. He only lost one fight, to Crawford, and he definitely can’t be ashamed of that – Crawford is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters right now. Indongo is good, but at the same time, I think this is a real good opportunity for me.

“I just think this is going to be a great fight. You’ve got me – I’m up-and-coming, I’m 20-0 with 17 knockouts, I’m going after the belt and to be the best at 140 pounds. Julius Indongo is a two-time world champion, and he wants to prove that he’s still on top, also.

“I’ve been working mostly on my jab for this fight. I know the SHOWTIME fans know all about my jab, but it’s going to be more powerful.

“I lost to Errol Spence in the finals of the Texas State Golden Gloves and I think I can go to 147. I was in Florida and was standing next to Keith Thurman and I was bigger than him. So eventually I will go up.”

JULIUS INDONGO:

“I know that Regis is a very strong fighter, but my team and I have a game plan that I am confident in and I think that we will get the win.

“I have had plenty of time to prepare for this fight with Regis. I was already training because I knew I had a fight in March. The late notice will not be a problem for me. I am ready to go.

“The loss to Crawford did not affect me. Losing is a part of boxing. I took my loss like a pro and I am emotionally past it. Tomorrow night I will have a fresh start and will show that I am a better fighter because of it.

“I’m not going to change too much from my last fight just because I lost. I am going to keep my own style and just fine-tune a few details that I have to work on in order to win the fight.

“I definitely want to give credit to Mark Breland and Deontay Wilder’s trainer, Jay Deas. We trained with them for two and a half weeks. We went to Tuscaloosa and they really helped us out and I think I really improved because of it. They were extremely welcoming and we will definitely be returning to train with Wilder’s team again.

“Regis is a tough fighter. The credit he has gotten, he deserves. He is tough, resilient and gritty and we expect all of those things tomorrow night. We expect a very tough, competitive fight, but I am very confident in my own abilities.”

IVAN BARANCHYK

“I like my new trainer (Pedro Diaz) a lot. It’s a completely different style and level of work that I’ve never tried before. I watched a lot of video of him and I really liked the work that I saw he did with Miguel Cotto.

“I feel as ready as I’ve ever felt. I feel good. The training has been more focused on my technique. I feel like I’m coming into this fight in great shape. I’ve tried to stay disciplined in training. My trainer always says you win the fight in the gym.

“I think that I’m a strong fighter, but in boxing you have to be smart too. I have been working on my intelligence in the ring and how to manage my energy. In the past, I have wasted more energy than I’ve needed to.

“My opponent doesn’t matter, the late change won’t affect me. I am ready to fight whoever they put in front of me. My game plan is the same, I am going to come out strong, aggressive, intelligent and win the fight. Petrov is a good fighter but this is a good matchup for me.

“I think it’s going to be a tough fight. Petrov is a good fighter with a lot of experience who has had a good career. But I have a long future ahead of me, too.

“Tomorrow night I’m going to show a lot of improvement in the technical aspect of my fighting. I feel that I have a very strong future in this sport and I want to be a world champion one day. Petrov is just another step for me.”

PETR PETROV

“My training has been good. The late notice should not affect me, I am always in the gym and always in good shape. I trained in Spain for six weeks before coming here, so I am 100% ready for this fight. It was an easy decision to take this fight.

“I am always staying in the gym and always ready for a fight. The 11 month layoff was not by design, I was always preparing for a fight that fell through for one reason or another

“I was not familiar with Baranchyk, but I have learned that he is an aggressive fighter that will come forward. My counter-punching and my angles will be very important in this fight. I am going to stand toe-to-toe with him.

“I know that he is the younger, bigger fighter and I am taking this fight on short notice, but none of that matters. The only thing that matters is what happens in the ring tomorrow night, and I am confident that I will win.”

JUNIOR FA:

“I was really happy with my last fight against Latham. It was a real confidence booster for me. That fight was really important for me to get some exposure in the U.S. and start to build a fan base over here.

“I like fighting taller opponents, because in the long run it’s really good experience for me. If I am going to compete for world titles, I need to be able to fight opponents that have the same size as me.

““I’m a lot more confident now than I was in my previous couple fights. A lot of that confidence comes from the really difficult training camp that I’ve had. There’s a real boost in my fitness and in my overall sharpness. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my career, both physically and mentally.”

CRAIG LEWIS

“I’m an original Kronk Gym boxer, but now I train at Hand’s On Boxing Gym in Detroit.

“I was a former college basketball player. I went to Macomb Community College and Wayne State University. I was all about defense. I would knock guys down all the time. I’d knock down guys who were 7-feet, 300 pounds. I figured if they couldn’t get the ball, they couldn’t score. I did the dirty work. I figured I might as well get paid for it, so I turned to boxing.

“Junior Fa’s alright. I’ve got to work the jab, and I’ll make adjustments once I’m in there. I switch up and fight southpaw. I don’t have a time when I do it. When it comes, it just comes.

“I think come Saturday morning the SHOWTIME boxing fans will say, ‘wow, that’s the new up and coming heavyweight.’ I’m definitely a prospect and have skills. I have good hand-eye coordination. It’s not just about power with me. I have real skills, and playing basketball helped me with that.”

TREY LIPPE MORRISON

“I’ve been training the whole time, every day. I’m super excited, it’s been too long. The reason I’ve been off so long is because of my hand, but it’s healed up now. This will be a big test to see how my hand feels.

“I’m always nervous to get into the ring. But I’m very excited because I feel like I’ve been learning a lot the past year, so I’m excited to put that to use. I feel like I have the tools and I know exactly what I need to do. I’m so excited to show off what I’ve learned and I’m ready to experience it myself. I know I’m still lacking certain skills and there’s things I need to get better at, but I feel myself getting better.”

# # #

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analyst. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

HOUSTON (Feb. 22, 2018) – Undefeated 140-pound contender Regis Prograis (20-0, 17 KOs) is mounting a motivational video campaign on social media and releasing a remarkable mini-documentary titled “Dear World, Sincerely Regis” dedicated to his hometown of New Orleans. The full video can be viewed HERE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSCq_S6PfiI

Filmed entirely on the streets of New Orleans, the compelling visuals are Regis’ way of introducing himself to the world on the eve of his biggest fight.

On Friday, March 9, Prograis will face former unified world champion Julius Indongo
(22-1-0, 11 KOs) for the vacant Interim WBC Super Lightweight World Championship in the 12-round main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from Deadwood Mountain Grand, in Deadwood, South Dakota. Prograis is also determined to make history, as the last boxing champion to come from New Orleans was Willie Pastrano, who held the light heavyweight title from 1963 until 1965.

“Some people have seen me fight before, but for many I wanted to show them what’s important to me and what made me the fighter that I am,” said Prograis. “I wanted the people of New Orleans to know how much they mean to me and hopefully motivate others that anything truly is possible in life.”

“Regis is immensely proud of his New Orleans roots and is showing his love for the city with his ‘Dear World’ campaign,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “With a victory on March 9, he will move one step closer to becoming New Orleans’ first boxing champion in more than 50 years. He and his alter ego, the Rougarou, are products of the rich culture, history, diversity and resiliency that are New Orleans. Regis dreams bigger than a world title; he wants to become a champion of the people, inspiring young people in his beloved NOLA and beyond.”

This Saturday night, February 24, Prograis will leave his training camp in Houston, Texas, for a special New Orleans Fan Fest (6:00pm-9:00pm) at the New Orleans Boxing Club, 2836 Conti Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119. Fans and media are welcome to watch Prograis train up-close in what promises to be a festive atmosphere where numerous other professional athletes and celebrities are expected to attend.

SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION live on SHOWTIME is presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Fight Promotions Inc., Holden Productions and Sauerland Promotions. Tickets, priced at $200, $80 and $60, are now on sale and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com or by calling (877) 907-4726. Doors on fight night open at 5:30 p.m. More information on Deadwood Mountain Grand can be found on their website at www.DeadwoodMountainGrand.com.

In the 12-round co-feature, undefeated 140-pound contenders Ivan Baranchyk (17-0, 10 KOs) and Anthony Yigit (21-0-1, 7 KOs) will square off in a Junior Welterweight World Title Eliminator to become the mandatory challenger for IBF champion Sergey Lipinets. Lipinets will defend his belt the following day, March 10, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® against undefeated three-division champion Mikey Garcia.