Hurricane Katrina helped mold the Regis Prograis we see

WBA light-welterweight champion Regis Prograis was recently a guest on the latest episode of “Max On Boxing” on ESPN and spoke with Max Kellerman about how Hurricane Katrina helped mold him into the boxer he is today.

Prograis, a New Orleans native when asked about the effects of Hurrican Katrina and how it impacted his life mentioned how that event is what helped improve his start into the world of boxing.

“I had just started boxing. I was in the 9th ward and was at like a house gym basically. The dude, his name was Harry and was my first coach. He had a ring outside, and he had like bags and stuff in the garage. You know, he wasn’t really training me. I just basically trained myself. After Hurrican Katrina hit, I moved over a bunch of different times, but then I eventually settled in Houston, and I went to a gym called Savannah’s Boxing Gym. “

“I still love boxing because I want to be the very best. But you can also make a lot of money if you love your work. So I thank GOD each and everyday that I have a job I would do for free.” ~ @holyfield (Dark Trade) ?

— Rougarou (@RPrograis) August 23, 2019

Savannah’s Boxing Gym to those outside of the Houston area is the legendary gym that has trained some of the legends in the sport. Keller jumped in on the answer, and the first name that came out was Evander Holyfield, the 2017 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee. The gym also has trained current local Houston boxing twins Jermell and Jermall Charlo, who Prograis mentioned he grew up with.

“All these great fighters was just in that same gym, it was a hotbed of just talent,” Prograis explained to Max. For me, I think I was like 19 at the time. I’m seeing this, and I’m seeing greatness. I mean, I’m training next to Holyfield. Mike Tyson was always my favorite fighter, and Holyfield beat him twice, so to be next to that, to be next to greatness, it just does something to your mind.”

Prograis also explained that he is working on getting everyone to know who he is.

“My whole thing is to always keep working,” Prograis said on Max on Boxing. “My daddy always told me to keep working, and everything else will come. Most of the boxing fans they definitely know who I am, but as far as the mainstream, you know the rest of the world, they don’t know I am yet.”

One way to get his name out will be his upcoming bout in the World Boxing Super Series where he’ll face IBF Champion Josh Taylor. The fight is still up in the air, but last week they were working on putting the match back on for October after Prograis and his team filed a lawsuit earlier in the month.