“It made me feel like I was in Las Vegas, not Plant City,” said long-time Plant City resident Connie Williams after her recent introduction to professional boxing at the ProBox Event Center bout. The owner of Shear Madness by Connie was invited to attend the fight as a guest of one of her clients. “It was exciting and quite a show,” said Williams.
Photos courtesy of Harry Castiblanco Photography
Officially, ProBox TV, the “first and only global sports streaming and media company dedicated exclusively to the sport of professional boxing,” was launched in April of 2022 by Garry Jonas, who previously was the founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Iron Mike Productions working alongside Mike Tyson, partnering with legendary pro boxers Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Antonio Tarver and Paulie Malignaggi. ProBox’s overall mission is to deliver boxing fans an improved experience as they watch and follow the sport.
The ProBox connection to Plant City comes from Jonas’ position as a co-founder of WhiteSands Treatment Center, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility established in 2014 with operations in Ft. Myers and Plant City at 2011 North Wheeler Street. The WhiteSands’ Boxing Program – Blow Off Steam – is an option available to those undergoing rehabilitation at the Plant City facility. Boxing has proven to be beneficial in the recovery process.
Live ProBox fights are held twice monthly at the WhiteSands Plant City Event Center. Each fight consists of 4-7 bouts with fighters coming from varied locations both within and outside the U.S. “All of the fighters are paid for their appearances in the ring, and they also fight for standing,” said Jim Sorensen, Production Manager for ProBox TV. “I think of ProBox as a sort of ‘minor league’ for boxers. Our ring has seen a lot of talented up-and-comers, other mid-career fighters who are now getting opportunities at the world-class level, and we have also hosted former world champs.
“We focus on fan-friendly fights where the A side and B side don’t really matter,” said Sorensen. “We’re not here to pad someone’s resume. We produce fights for broadcast on our YouTube channel (youtube.com/proboxtv and youtube.com/proboxtvespanol), simultaneously broadcasting in both English and Spanish to our subscribers in addition to our live audiences here in Plant City.
“Former world champion boxers serve as our ringside commentators,” said Sorensen. “Chris Algieri and Paulie Malignaggi in English and Juan Manuel Marquez in Spanish.”
Kevin Hartley, a cancer survivor, single dad, and veteran, has been going to the fights for more than a year. “I never miss a fight,” he said. “I get my tickets through Vet Tix, which means I get them at a reduced price. I love the excitement of watching live boxing. I’ve met a few famous fighters – Roy Jones Jr. and Terrence Crawford – to name just two. I’m born and raised here in Plant City and I attend every fight with my friend Ben Gavin.”
Ticket prices for the live, ProBox fights range from $30 to $150 for ringside seats. “The event center can accommodate up to 700,” said Sorensen. Tickets to the live event are available on the ProBox website: proboxtv.com/tickets. “Or watch from the comfort of your home by downloading the free app anywhere you get your apps,” said Sorensen.
The next live fight at the WhiteSands Event Center is set for July 31.