“No, I’m not retiring. I’ll be champion again.” Regis Prograis has been clear about his future and the path he will take next, despite succumbing to a heartbreaking loss to Jack Catterall. But it seems others want him to retire early, and some are even willing to force the cold period on him. The latest entrant in the long list of fighters willing to take the task upon themselves is Jamaine Ortiz.

Prograis, 35, has now collected two losses on the trot, with the first loss coming against Devin Haney. The American fighter then took a trip to the hostile territory in Manchester but again left the arena with a loss. So, the questions about his future are looming larger. While the fans are split over it, the former two-time champion has reiterated his desire to continue.

That’s not it. Prograis, at 29-3, specified his intent to be champion again. However, these comments didn’t sit well with Ortiz, 28, who turned to his X handle. He expressed his intent to do the needful and force him into retirement. He wrote, “I’ll retire him 😴.”

Interestingly, when ‘Rougarou’ dropped the fight, he even suggested taking an alternative path and going the bare-knuckle fighting route. Conor McGregor then extended a warm welcome to him along with a cautionary note. It seems Prograis has given it some thought and decided to stick around with boxing, albeit with some changes and adjustments.

Regis Prograis: ambition to be a champion again but at 147

The New Orleans native wants a new challenge and is ready to make some drastic changes. Therefore, Prograis has decided to move up a division and continue his pursuit of a third-world championship. He declared, “Might be time to move up. I’m tired of being skinny.”

It could serve him well, as he had struggled in his fight with Haney, 25, and the visuals of him barely making the weight had the fans concerned. It even affected his performance in the fight, as he lost his WBC super lightweight title. But will Prograis survive in a division dominated by Jaron Ennis and Brian Norman Jr.?

It’s something that fans might have to wait and see for. Meanwhile, Ortiz has yet to step into the ring after his loss to Teofimo Lopez earlier this year. The chances are that he would hotly pursue a rematch instead of taking on Prograis.

What do you make of this comment by Jamaine Ortiz? Where do you think Jack Catterall is headed next? Let us know in the comments below.