Jack Catterall took a significant step towards finally becoming a world champion when he beat Regis Prograis in a strange and messy 12–round super-lightweight contest. Catterall sealed his victory by lopsided and generous scores of 116-109, twice, and 117-10 over the former two-time world champion.

A fight in which a chess match turned into a slugfest featured three knockdowns, the first scored by Prograis, as well as wild swings and misses with both boxers slipping and tumbling to the canvas. Prograis also seemed to hurt his ankle and leg near the end of the bout and the American was as gracious as he was philosophical as his own career appears to have ended in Manchester.

The two fighters came out in their customary southpaw stance, both boxing with wary caution in the opening four rounds. Prograis was more aggressive without landing many punches while Catterall had limited success with the jab in the second. There were a few more little flurries from Catterall and late in the third he nailed Prograis with a sharp left. The older man was marked up around the side of his right eye and Catterall caught him again with another left in the fourth. But an awkward tactical bout between two counterpunching southpaws threatened tedium.

Then, near the end of the fifth round, Catterall went down from a straight right which connected with his shoulder rather than the head. It was a flash knockdown because Catterall, who barely touched the canvas, didn’t look hurt. But a standing count of eight lifted Prograis who came out with fresh purpose in the sixth and landed a couple of decent shots.

A clash of heads in the seventh opened a cut on Catterall’s head which led to blood streaming down the side of his face. Both fighters reeled into the ropes and ended up on the canvas in the next round but the fight was about to change in dramatic fashion. In the last minute of round nine Catterall threw a crunching and beautifully delivered textbook left which he followed with another punch from the same hand. Prograis went down heavily. He was dropped again just before the bell but indicated his readiness to continue as the referee counted.

The tenth teemed with action, in stark contrast to the pedestrian first half of the bout. A real scrap had broken out but Catterall was not as vicious as many great fighters are when they sense that their opponent is badly wounded and fighting back desperately. Catterall was clearly in the ascendency and Prograis’s difficulties intensified as he flexed his leg in discomfort.

They touched gloves respectfully before the start of the last round. But Prograis, needing a last-ditch knockout to salvage his career, slipped again to the floor when he missed with a scything swing. In the final minute, looking lame in his own corner, he waved Catterall towards him. The bout ended in a brief slugfest in the middle of the ring – with the scorecards soon showing the gulf that now exists between their very different boxing futures.

Prograis is 35 but the American, who has campaigned at elite level in this division for years, arrived in Manchester with clear determination and focus. After disappointing performances in his past two fights, the most recent of which saw him lose his WBC world title when he failed to win a round against Devin Haney, Prograis knew that he was backed up into a corner. To return to world title contention he had to beat Catterall – a fighter who has been through heartache of his own.

In 2022, in his only world title bout so far, Catterall was robbed by the judges when they somehow awarded victory to Josh Taylor. Catterall, who had dropped Taylor and out-boxed him, was devastated. He was given the decision in a much harder and more difficult rematch with Taylor earlier this year but Catterall knew that he needed to replace the controversy and dissent of the past with a clear-cut victory.

Prograis has had an excellent career but this was a sobering and ultimately bleak night for him. On the long journey home he will hopefully decide to leave the ring before it takes too much more from him. Such an intelligent boxer, and good man, deserves more than becoming just another opponent for hungry and ambitious young fighters.

For Catterall, in contrast, this was a deserved victory. It means that he is much closer now to the world title he has dreamed of for so long.