Light welterweight contender Oscar Duarte will face former two-time 140-lb champion Regis Progress next month in a 12-round headliner at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The event will be shown live on DAZN.

Stepping stone

Golden Boy Promotions has selected Prograce as the opponent to capitalize on the career progression of #9 WBA Duarte (28-2-1, 22 KOs), who has looked good since being knocked out in the eighth round by Ryan Garcia. On December 2, 2023.

If Duarte wins this fight, he will receive a higher ranking with the World Boxing Association as he is still far from a position to challenge for a world title.

Fall of Regis

It's a must-win for the 35-year-old Progress (29-3, 24 KOs), as he's lost two in a row and hasn't won since 2023. Regis is coming off a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision loss Jack Catterall October 26 in Manchester, England.

Former WBA and WBC light welterweight champion Prograis made a beaten fighter look better than he did in that fight. Before that he lost to Regis Devin Haney via one-sided 12-round unanimous decision on December 9, 2023.

Prograis needs to regain his best form from 2015 to 2022. In the losses to Haney and Catterall, Prograis wasn't under the same pressure as earlier in his career, and it looked like he was afraid of getting hurt.

Unsurprisingly, the light-hitting Catterall dropped Progress twice in the ninth round and looked timid for the rest of the 12-round fight.

Return or retirement?

If Regis loses to Duarte, he will have to consider retiring because it will make it clear that he has no future. The only way to salvage things is to try to drop down to 135 for Prograis and reinvent yourself. It would be pointless for him to go to 147 as he has already shown chin problems at 140.

Duarte is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision against Botyrzhon Akhmedov on November 16th. It was a good fight with a lot of two-way action involved. At one point in the fight Akhmedov hit Duarte and landed a lot of heavy shots. Duarte's strength and strong chin enabled him to fight. It was not an easy fight for him though.

“I realize that inaction is the death of a warrior. At this point in my career, I want and need to be more active,” Progress said. “I think this fight has fireworks written all over it. My opponent is a strong, tough and hungry fighter, and it should be a great night in California. Excited for and looking forward to next month.”