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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Greg Bishop

Books and Bouts: Regis Prograis’s Reading Obsession Is His Secret to Boxing Success

Regis Prograis Devin Haney Mike Tyson Josh Taylor

The world champion boxer—winner of 29 bouts, collector of 24 knockouts and sufferer of only one defeat, delivered by another elite champion—understands his world. But despite all the baked-in machismo and violence and brutality, Regis Prograis is also unafraid to admit to and lay out his most unexpected career secret. In addition to power, agility, technical proficiency and the rest of his complete skill set, Prograis also benefits from … reading?

It's true. Prograis is The Fighting Reader, a pugilist who could start a book club if he wanted. He even recommended a book—Fortune Favors the Bold, by Lester Thurow—to me, after I pitched chopping it up on this most unlikely of topics heading into a big fight. His latest is scheduled for Saturday, against a popular pound-for-pound pick in Devin Haney, in San Francisco.

Prograis’s reading obsession started when he wanted to learn proper techniques for personal training. 

Adam DelGiudice/IMAGO

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