It is the loss to Haney last December which has looked particularly damaging to the American’s prospects.

Knocked down in round three before losing on points, Prograis was far away from his flamboyant best in a sluggish display and was dominated by Haney.

Prograis told BBC Sport that changes behind the scenes before the Haney fight had hindered him, saying he had spent the build-up to fighting Catterall “getting back to being me, getting back to what took me to the top”.

“For the Haney camp I changed everything,” he said.

Prograis explained he switched up his team for Haney, including having his head coach and an assistant swap roles. For Catterall, he has changed everything back while admitting: “I don’t know why I did that.”

He also shortened his camp, having trained for three months before fighting Haney – something which affected his mental health.

When Catterall’s injury meant an August fight was postponed to October, Prograis “took a little vacation” from his camp in Las Vegas.

“I really needed that mentally, that made a big difference because I couldn’t train that whole time. In camp I train three or four times a day, that’s a lot,” Prograis said.

“So I took off, I chilled, and came back way stronger.”

Another major change for Prograis in 2024 has seen him employ a manager, having previously represented himself in negotiations.

He says that had been another error, and that being able to hand off his business matters means he can relax before a fight which is must-win if he is to remain a contender at the elite level.

“I’ve made enough money, I’m good for the rest of my life, so now I’m boxing to enjoy myself,” Prograis said.

“I was trying to be a businessman and a boxer before, doing everything myself, telling people in interviews I didn’t need a manager – I definitely do!”

A proud New Orleans native, Prograis told the BBC in 2019 that he was fighting for the city, still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Five years on, Prograis says he is fighting only for himself.

“I always have my people, but I did that already,” he said. “This is for me, because I love it.”

While Team India was taking on New Zealand in Maharashtra, Australian batting great Micheal Clarke made news in the country on Wednesday for his comments on the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

Former Australian captain Clarke used a cuss word while talking about the Australian squad for the upcoming Test series against India. Clarke strongly argued that the Australian selectors need to bring in a specialist opener to take on Rohit Sharma and Co. as the experiment using Steve Smith in the slot failed to yield the desired results. The Baggy Greens should give an in-form player from the domestic circuit a call-up instead of asking batters to change their regular position, he said. 

Clarke told Sky Sports Radio that Australia made a mistake by asking Steve Smith to open the innings. “We made a mistake in getting Steve Smith to open the batting in Test cricket, so let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s pick a specialist opener, whoever is best equipped,” he said.

Elaborating further, Clarke said Cameron Bancroft deserves to open for Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.  “I would probably go with Cameron Bancroft because he’s been the leading run scorer for the last two years in Shield cricket. I care about Shield cricket. I think he’s earned the right to be selected based on runs,” the multiple World Cup winner said.

Clarke argued that players like Josh Inglis, who has been successful down the order can’t be promoted to open the innings. An in-form middle-order batter can’t be asked to open against a quality international side just because your specialist openers are struggling in the Shiled to make runs. It is in this context that Clarke made a derogatory remark on air.

“…It’s not just about who’s making runs right here, right now. That is not how you select an Australian cricket team.

…The problem they (Australia) have at the moment is the top three contenders who are specialist opening batters are not making runs in Shield cricket.”Who gives a s**t? It’s been two Shield rounds on wickets that are seaming — who cares? It can’t just be about making runs in the two Shield games,” Micheal Clarke said.

Since Steven Smith was part of the conversation, many who didn’t hear the radio programme in full thought he used the cuss word to abuse his former teammate Smith. 

The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy is scheduled to start at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 22.

LEICESTER and Nottingham Forest clash in Friday’s East Midlands derby at the King Power Stadium.

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Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles here

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ABU DHABI – Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev is one step closer to finally coming to fruition after both made weight on Friday ahead of the UFC 308 co-main event.

After unbeaten sensation Chimaev (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) pulled out of the original date in June, all signs point to him returning to the octagon after he hit the middleweight mark for his matchup against former champion Whittaker (26-7 MMA, 17-5 UFC) during official weigh-ins at the UFC host hotel ahead of Saturday’s event, which goes down at Etihad Arena on Yas Island (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN+).

Whittaker stepped on the scale at 185.5 pounds, while Chimaev registered at 186 pounds for the five-round showdown, which could serve as a title eliminator the for expected Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland championship rematch.

Check out the video above to see Whittaker and Chimaev make weight for the UFC 308 co-headliner.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Alex Kalinauckas and Stuart Codling dive into the media day drama, with McLaren instigating a Right of Review over Lando Norris’ five-second United States GP penalty.

0:00 Intro

0:34 What is happening?

2:13 Previous examples

5:21 Drivers’ opinions

7:13 Gravel traps at COTA

8:41 Perez reflects on his 2024 season

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