Regis Prograis-Jose Zepeda ordered for vacant WBC junior welterweight title

The WBC has ordered Regis Prograis and Jose Zepeda to meet for the vacant junior welterweight title.

The news was made public on Sunday evening, as the no. 1 ranked Zepeda (35-2, 27 knockouts) gets his third shot at a world title, while the no. 3 rated Prograis (27-1, 23 KOs) seeks to become a two-time titleholder at 140 pounds.

Jose Ramirez, the no. 2 rated contender at 140 pounds, passed on the title shot because he was getting married in October, ESPN reports.

Both parties will be able to negotiate terms for the fight up until August 30, when a purse bid will be held, according to an email released by Zepeda’s manager Rick Mirigian. “This fight will get made, I will see to it,” tweeted Mirigian.

Zepeda, 33, is promoted by Zanfer Promotions, while Prograis, also 33, is promoted by Probellum.

All four titles had belonged to Josh Taylor after he defeated Jose Ramirez in May of 2021, but Taylor was stripped by the WBA this May for declining to meet mandatory challenger Alberto Puello of the Dominican Republic. He later vacated the WBC title in July, at which point Ramirez-Zepeda was ordered.

Prograis of Houston, Tex. has won three straight since losing a majority decision to Taylor in 2019 in the World Boxing Super Series finale. He was last in the ring in March, stopping Tyrone McKenna in six rounds in Dubai.

Zepeda of La Puente, Calif. is coming off a first round knockout win over Josue Vargas in October, and hasn’t lost since dropping a majority decision to Ramirez in 2019.

Prograis is rated no. 1 by The Ring at 140 pounds, while Zepeda is the no. 3 contender.

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