No belts are on the line here, and Catterall has not fought for a title since a controversial loss to Taylor in their first bout.
He expects to put that right next year if he beats Prograis, telling BBC Sport: “The winner will get a world title shot in 2025. This puts me one step closer.
“This is a great division with a lot of champions, and a win over Regis puts me in a great position.”
Catterall is eyeing a fight with IBF champion Liam Paro in 2025, and Hearn says that is on the cards.
“It’s really important we give him a shot,” the Matchroom chairman told BBC Sport.
“Paro fights Richardson Hitchins in December – it makes sense for the winner of this fight to face whoever wins that. Jack deserves it, if it’s him.”
Hearn also praised Catterall for taking on his third big-ticket opponent in the space of a year, as the Lancastrian aims to build his name in British and world boxing.
“Inactivity is a killer for peoples’ careers,” he said. “You have to be fighting minimum three times a year at championship level, otherwise you’ll go stale, your profile will suffer and you won’t get any momentum.
“I’ve seen it time and time again; when top fighters are active they are much better, they are happier, their camps are shorter. It’s a short career, you want to fit in as many opportunities as possible.”
