Regis Prograis has put an end to speculation that he could fight Brit star Adam Azim next, stating that he'd rather quit boxing altogether than compete as a name opponent.

Both Azim and his promoter Ben Shalom put Prograis (29-3, 24 KOs) at the top of their hit-list last month when discussions to find the 22-year-old's next dance partner began.

Azim (13-0, 10 KOs) is one of the UK's brightest prospects and was last in action at the beginning of February, dismantling former world champion Sergey Lipinets in nine rounds at London's Wembley Arena.

An all-British clash with fellow junior-welterweight contender Dalton Smith has also been talked up, but Smith, the WBC's No. 1-ranked contender, is expected to wait things out for his title shot against the winner of Alberto Puello-Subriel Matias on The Ring's July 12 card.

Azim, who holds the IBO belt, wants a sizeable name for his next scalp in the meantime, but it won't be Prograis, who hasn't fought since a unanimous decision defeat to Jack Catterall last October.

Prograis told The Ring: "Some people hit me up on Instagram about [the Azim fight], but I was like 'nah, I'm not doing that'. I don't want to go back to the UK right now, man.

"I feel like, maybe I'd come back out there for a big fight but that won't be a big fight. It's just not something I'm interested in right now.

"I'm not doing that. If I go the 'opponent' route then I'll just quit boxing. I'm not going to do it.

"I know what boxing is and what it's like so if I ever feel like I'm being treated to be an opponent, I'm just not going to do it no more. I'm not going to be someone's opponent, no way I'm doing that."

Prograis hinted, after his defeat to Catterall, that retirement was in the offing. But two-and-a-half months later he was scheduled to face Oscar Duarte in February.

Two weeks before the bout, though, Prograis pulled out with a shoulder injury. But the New Orleans man has now fully healed up and is hell-bent on continuing his career, with a summer return being targeted.

"I wanna return this summer," he added. "So I was hearing that I was supposed to fight in June, but they said that was not gonna happen, so now they're saying maybe in July or August. It's kind of far from me, but it's boxing, that's how it goes.

"I just want to get back into things and become a champion again.

"I'm with Golden Boy now, the good thing about Golden Boy is, they will keep you busy, they'll keep you active. I was supposed to fight Duarte, then I got hurt, so now I don't know if they'll, you know, I don't know if they fully trust me, because I was supposed to be headlining but pulled out two weeks before the fight.

"I've just gotta figure things out, figure out the ropes, and what's next for me."

With the desire to become a three-time champion still burning, 36-year-old Prograis takes a moment to look over the 140 and 147-pound landscape, noting that, other than Jaron Ennis, there aren't too many obstacles standing in his way.

He said: "I don't think it's a strong landscape at all at 140. That's why I feel like I definitely will be a champion again, in fact I know I'll be a champion again, especially if I keep going, and I stay healthy, and don't get hurt no more.

"The 147 division is not strong either, I mean, besides Boots, right now...Boots is up there and there's nobody, I don't think, close to him right now. Boots is on a level by himself right now between 140 and 147."