ProBox bouts will be held twice a month.
“It felt like I was in Las Vegas instead of Plant City,” said Connie Williams, a longtime Plant City resident, after discovering professional boxing at a match at the ProBox Events Center. The owner of Shear Madness by Connie was invited to watch the match as a guest of one of her customers. “It was very exciting, a great show,” Williams said.
Photo courtesy of Harry Castiblanco Photography
Officially, Probox TV is “the world's first and only sports streaming and media company dedicated solely to the sport of professional boxing,” and was founded in April 2022 by Gary Jonas, who previously served as founder and CEO of Iron Mike Productions, worked with Mike Tyson, and partnered with legendary professional boxers Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Antonio Tarver, and Paulie Malignaggi. Probox's overall mission is to give boxing fans a better experience when watching and following the sport.
ProBox's connection to Plant City comes as Jonas is a co-founder of WhiteSands Treatment Center, an alcohol and drug rehab facility that was founded in 2014 and operates at 2011 North Wheeler Street in Fort Myers and Plant City. WhiteSands' boxing program, “Blow Off Steam,” is an option available to those undergoing rehab at the Plant City facility. Boxing has been proven to be effective in the recovery process.
Probox live bouts are held twice a month at White Sands Plant City Events Center. Each bout consists of four to seven bouts, and fighters come from various locations across the U.S. and abroad. “All of the fighters are paid just to be in the ring and they're also fighting for status,” says Jim Sorensen, Production Manager for Probox TV. “We think of Probox as a sort of 'minor league' for boxers. We have a lot of talented up-and-coming fighters in our ring, as well as mid-level fighters who are getting a chance at the world level. We also have former world champions.”
“We're focusing on fan-friendly matches where A-side and B-side aren't as important,” Sorensen said, “We're not here to inflate anyone's resume. We produce matches that we broadcast on our YouTube channel (youtube.com/proboxtv and youtube.com/proboxtvespanol) and simulcast in English and Spanish for subscribers in addition to the live crowd in Plant City.”
“Former world champion boxers will be providing ringside commentary,” Sorensen said, “with Chris Algieri and Paulie Malignaggi providing commentary in English and Juan Manuel Marquez providing commentary in Spanish.”
Kevin Hartley, a cancer survivor, single father and military veteran, has been attending fights for over a year. “I've never missed a fight,” he says. “I buy my tickets through Vet Tix so I get a discount. I love the excitement of watching live boxing. I've met some famous boxers – Roy Jones Jr. and Terence Crawford, to name just two. I was born and raised here in Plant City and watch every fight with my friend Ben Gavin.”
Ticket prices for Probox live matches range from $30 to $150 for ringside seats. “The event center can accommodate up to 700 people,” Sorensen said. Tickets for live events can be purchased on the Probox website at proboxtv.com/tickets. “Or you can download the free app wherever they get it and watch from the comfort of your own home,” Sorensen said.
The next live fight at White Sands Events Center is scheduled for July 31st.
