JIMMY KELLY DEFEATS KANAT ISLAM TO CAPTURE THE WBO GLOBAL MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 25, 2022): Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (26-2, 10 KOs) of Manchester, United Kingdom defeated Kazakh contender Kanat “QazaQ” Islam (28-1, 22 KOs) by majority decision in the ProBox Promotions’ main event Friday evening in Plant City, Florida.

Kelly, who captured the WBO Global Middleweight Championship, won with scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 95-95. The fight took place at Whitesands Event Center, one of 11 scraps put together by the Florida-based company headed by Garry Jonas.

“I thought I won every round,” said Jimmy Kelly, who admitted after that he wanted to fly home quickly to see his two kids. “I even hurt my hand and could only box with my jab during the last four rounds. Despite that, I still feel I won every round. I felt his pressure, but I didn’t feel his power. Kanat was looking for the counter all night, but I didn’t let him do it.”

In the co-main event, “Pistol” Pete Dobson (15-0, 9 KOs) of The Bronx, New York beat Mexican southpaw Jose Miguel Borrego (19-4) via wide unanimous decision. Dobson’s accuracy, movement, ring generalship, all of that added up to a long night for Borrego, by scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 100-90. Dobson has sharpened his game by getting superior sparring, against the likes of Terence Crawford, of late.

Jonathan Eniz (12-8, 2 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina scored an upset unanimous decision victory against Mark Reyes Jr. (14-2, 12 KOs) of Tampa, Florida after 10 rounds of action. The three judges scored the fight in Eniz’s favor with the following scorecards: 95-94, 95-94, 96-93.

The Argentine won over the sold-out house with this fast hands, crazy stamina and slick movement. Reyes Jr looked a step behind at times, but he drew massive cheers from locals, for his ability to slick and duck, when he avoided getting tagged hard as Eniz flurried maniacally in round nine.

Najee Lopez (3-0, 3 KOs), a cruiserweight standout of Puerto Rican nationality who represents Ellwood, Georgia, scored a second-round knockout victory against Alex “El Principe” Theran (23-7, 15 KOs) in what was his first fight scheduled for six rounds. Lopez scored two knockdowns, the latter of which ended matters at :33 of the aforementioned round. Lopez said after that he believes he’s ready for another step up, after downing a boxer who’d battled Anthony Yarde, Yunieski Gonzalezand Hot Rod Kalajdzic. “I feel like I can compete with the best of them,” Lopez said after the victory.

Marques Valle (4-0, 4 KOs) of Wesley Chapel, Florida scored a vicious stoppage win over Robbie Rose (1-2) of Richburg, South Carolina in what was a scheduled six-round welterweight battle. The older Valle brother, age 23, ended the fight at 1:29 of the very first round. His power and hand speed were on a different level.

Rising Puerto Rican knockout artist Julio Solis (6-0, 6 KOs) scored a first-round knockout against Trenton Gibson (1-1) of San Antonio, Texas in a lightweight battle originally scheduled for four rounds. The time of stoppage was 1:41 of the opening round. A healthy portion of the sold-out crowd seemed to be Solis rooters.

Floridan prospect Dominic Valle (3-0, 3 KOs) defeated Nelson Colon Torres (4-6, 3 KOs) of Aibonito, Puerto Rico via knockout in what was originally a scheduled four-round bout in the super featherweight division. Valle, the younger of the Valles, at 21, ended matters at 1:56 of the third round.

Light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (8-0, 6 KOs), a UK-born prospect who calls the United States his home, maintained his undefeated record by defeating Brandon Maddox (8-5-1, 6 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan via six-round unanimous decision. Tinker, using a persistent jab, won with scores of 58-56, 58-56, and 59-55.

Casey Dixon (1-0, 1 KO) of Atlanta, George won his first professional bout via second-round knockout against Arsenio Hall (3-6) of Chester, South Carolina in a light heavyweight clash. The brawler Dixon ended matters at :28 of round two.

Imran Haddabah (4-0, 4 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida knocked out Dominique Wiltz (0-3) of Houston, in a light heavyweight bout. The bout was halted at 2:39 of the second round as the 6-4 winner struck with a nasty hook which buzzed Wiltz badly.

Tommy Wu (1-0) made a successful professional debut with a four-round unanimous decision win against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs) of Butte, Montana. The California welterweight came out rumbling in the first, and he found a stubborn target in Curtiss. Wu won via scores of 39-36, 40-36 and 40-36.
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Islam vs. Kelly was a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event took place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

About ProBox Promotions
ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.




WELTERWEIGHT STANDOUT MARK REYES JR. MAKES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RETURN ON UNDERCARD OF KANAT ISLAM VS. JIMMY KELLY

PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 22, 2022): Hard-hitting welterweight sensation Mark Reyes Jr. (14-1, 12 KOs) looks to bounce back from his only defeat in a 10-round fight on the undercard of Islam vs. Kelly. Reyes’ fight is part of a 12-bout card taking place this Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.

Reyes is a 25-year-old native of Tampa, Florida who most recently faced Janelson Bocachica on ShoBox. The all-action fighter lost via majority decision, but many felt that Reyes Jr. deserved the nod.

Reyes was originally slated to face a tough challenge in Kendo Castañeda, but the native of San Antonio, Texas was forced to pull out due to illness. Reyes will nevertheless make his return to the ring this Friday, and his opponent will be announced in due course.

As previously announced, Mexican warrior Jose Miguel Borrego (19-3, 16 KOs) faces undefeated “Pistol” Pete Dobson (14-0, 9 KOs) of the Bronx, New York in the co-main event. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds in the super welterweight division.

The rest of the undercard features local favorites and members of the ProBox stable:

Najee Lopez (2-0, 2 KOs), a cruiserweight standout of Puerto Rican nationality who represents Ellwood, Georgia, has plans to rise quickly up the division. On Feb. 25, Lopez meets the rugged and experienced veteran Alex “El Principe” Theran (23-6, 15 KOs) in his first fight scheduled for six rounds.

Theran has faced the likes of Anthony Yarde and Yunieski Gonzalez, so this is a considerable step-up for Lopez.

Light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (7-0, 6 KOs), a UK-born prospect who calls the United States his home, will take on Brandon Maddox (8-4-1, 6 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan in a six-round clash.

The night will also feature a pair of brothers making heavy noise on the Florida boxing scene. Dominic Valle (2-0, 2 KOs) takes on Nelson Colon Torres (4-6, 3 KOs) of Aibonito, Puerto Rico in a four-rounder in the super featherweight division. Big brother Marques Valle (3-0, 3 KOs) battles Marklin Bailey (7-7, 4 KOs) of Durham, North Carolina in a six-round welterweight battle.

California welterweight Tommy Wu fights as a professional for the first time in a scheduled four-rounder against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs) of Butte, Montana.

Rising Puerto Rican knockout artist Julio Solis (5-0, 5 KOs) battles Trenton Gibson (1-0) of San Antonio, Texas in a lightweight battle scheduled for four rounds.

Casey Dixon of Atlanta, George will make his pro debut against Arsenio Hall (3-5) of Chester, South Carolina in a four-round super middleweight clash.

Imran Haddabah (3-0, 3 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida puts his undefeated record on the line against Dominique Wiltz (0-2) of Houston, Texas in a four-round light heavyweight bout.

Jusiyah Shirley (1-0) of Orlando, Florida returns in a four-round super lightweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

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Islam vs. Kelly is a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.

Tickets for Islam vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $60, $75, $100, $150, $200 and $250, excluding applicable services charges. Tickets are available for purchase at www.EventBrite.com or by clicking here.

About ProBox Promotions
ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.




UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT KANAT ISLAM TO BATTLE FORMER TITLE CHALLENGER JIMMY KELLY FOR THE WBO GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP

PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 15, 2022): ProBox Promotions will host its first event of the year as Kanat “QazaQ” Islam (28-0, 22 KOs), the two-time Olympian and 160-pound contender, faces his toughest test to date against former world title challenger Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (25-2, 10 KOs) in a 10-round battle for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

Details regarding streaming information will be announced shortly.

Tickets for Islam vs. Kelly are on sale now and are priced at $60, $75, $100, $150, $200 and $250, excluding applicable services charges. Tickets are available for purchase at www.EventBrite.com or by clicking here.

Islam, a 37-year-old athlete who was born in China and is of Kazakh nationality, is a two-time Olympian who captured a bronze medal for his country of origin in the 2008 Games in Beijing. He is a fierce puncher with a 79% knockout ratio who pummeled his way through the junior middleweight ranks and captured various regional titles before defeating Patrick Allotey and handing Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook his first pro loss. Islam entered the middleweight scene with a win over ex world title challenger Walter “The Executioner” Kautondokwa, then scored a win over Jeyson “Verdugo” Minda in his last outing. Islam is currently ranked at #4 by the WBO. With a win over Kelly, Islam stakes his claim for a shot at a world title.

Kelly is a former world title challenger who, like Islam, has boxed professionally for about 10 years. The native of Wythenshawe, Lancashire, United Kingdom defeated some of the toughest contenders of his home country before challenging for his first world title against Liam “Beefy” Smith in an action-packed battle. Although he lost, the 29-year-old regained his stature in the division by scoring seven victories in a row before coming up short against Irish-born contender Dennis “Hurricane” Hogan in a tough fight. Now at 160 pounds, Kelly plans to establish himself as a threat within the division’s rankings.

In the co-main event, Mexican warrior Jose Miguel Borrego (19-3, 16 KOs) faces undefeated “Pistol” Pete Dobson (14-0, 9 KOs) of the Bronx, New York in a 10-round super welterweight fight.

Borrego is an experienced southpaw who has come to be known for his aggressive style. The 23-year-old faces a tough challenge against the 31-year-old Dobson, an intelligent boxer who has been on big stages, such as the Pacquiao vs. Thurman undercard in 2019. Both men promise to deliver fireworks in battle that looks to steal the show on Feb. 25.

Additional undercard information will be announced shortly.

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Islam vs. Kelly is a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streaming details for the event will be announced shortly.

About ProBox Promotions
ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.