Regis Prograis may soon find his division populated with some mouth-watering names.

For that reason, the New Orleans-born, Houston-based southpaw sees no reason to flee from his career-long perch in the 140-pound division.

The 33-year-old former titlist has been frustrated at the notion that he is being ignored by his top peers, but apparently the idea that some of the top names in the 135-pound division may be flocking to 140 has had him feeling more sanguine about his future prospects.

For example, Teofimo Lopez, the former unified champion at 135, will be making his debut at 140 against Pedro Campa Aug. 13 at Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas.

Ryan Garcia recently stated, upon stopping Javier Fortuna in six rounds, that he intends to fight at 140.

And Devin Haney, the current undisputed lightweight champion, has repeatedly hinted that his time at 135 may not be for long. Haney is set to defend his four lightweight belts in a rematch with George Kambosos later this fall in Australia.

Even unified 130-pound champion Shakur Stevenson has expressed interest in fighting Haney at 140 at some point down the line.

Prograis admittedly has been something like the odd man out in the 140-pound ranks ever since he dropped a title unification bout to Josh Taylor in 2019. Prograis has only fought three times since then, all stoppages over overmatched opponents in Juan Heraldez, Ivan Redkach, and most recently, in March, Tyrone McKenna. Prograis signed with Probellum, the start-up promotional company led by Richard Schaefer last year.

“That’s why I’m staying at 140,” Prograis told Tha Boxing Voice. “All of them are going to have to see me eventually. I really feel like that. Like I said right now nobody saying my name. But once I am a champion again—and I should be champion: in a year, 12 months’ time, I should be champion again no matter what—once that happens, guess what, all them names is gonna have to come to me. They’re gonna have to see me. Everybody is gonna have to fight me. There will be no more running.

“Like right now it’s risk-versus-award type of thing…there’s no reward in fighting me. Once I’m a champion again, then we’ll see.”

And Prograis has the opportunity to reclaim a title - as the World Boxing Council ordered Jose Zepeda and Prograis to fight for the vacant WBC title, which was recently vacated by Taylor.

Prograis noted that his top priority is to have a rematch with Taylor. The Scotsman won a controversial split decision over Jack Catterall in February in a first defense of his four 140-pound titles. Taylor dropped his WBA and WBC belts in order to focus on making a rematch with Catterall.

Prograis also expressed interest in a fight with lightweight attraction Gervonta Davis. But as with all of these fights, it is not clear how feasible they are for Prograis, given that Prograis shares few affiliations with the fighters’ respective handlers and promoters.

“If I had a dream fight right now, Taylor would be number one,” Prograis said. “If I had to fight someone next, it would be Josh Taylor, number one.

“Somebody I always wanted to definitely fight is Gervonta Davis. I want to fight him. If it’s at ’35 or ’40, whatever. I can’t do ’35. But if he comes up to ’40 for that. But besides that I want to be a world champion again. I want to be a world champion.”