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.

Greg Cohen Promotions proudly announces the signing of former world title challenger Jimmy Kelly Jr., to a long-term promotional contract.

27-year-old Kelly (24-2, 9 KOs), from Manchester, has recently moved up to middleweight under the guidance of renowned trainer Anthony Farnell and has linked up with Clearwater Management and Havoc Management and Advisory as he bids to launch a second attempt at a world title under the Greg Cohen Promotions banner.

Kelly discussed his link up with Greg Cohen Promotions, “I am absolutely over the moon to be working with Greg Cohen Promotions and I have to thank the team at GCP for giving me this amazing opportunity along with my management team headed up by James Mulvilli and Andre Rozier who have done a brilliant job with me so far.

“Greg Cohen Promotions have always been a mainstay in world boxing and have a great record in taking fighters to the next level and getting them the right opportunities. That’s what I need in my career right now and I believe that my new team is capable of delivering me the opportunity to fight for a world title when they feel the time is correct.”

Greg Cohen, who has been an influential guiding light for fighters from all over the world for several decades weighed in on his latest trans-Atlantic acquisition.

Cohen said, “Jimmy Kelly Jr is a great young fighter who still has his best years ahead of him. I have followed Jimmy’s career for some years now and I always believed that with the correct promotional team around him he would become a world champion and a global star.

“Jimmy now has that team around him and I am really excited to be working alongside Andre Rozier, James Mulvilli and their respective teams as now put the wheels in motion to deliver Jimmy the big fights he craves.”

Andre Rozier also gave his take on Kelly Jr’s link up with Greg Cohen Promotions. The Brooklyn native said, “Jimmy Kelly Jr is a wonderful young man with lots of potential and we at Havoc Management and Advisory believed that Greg Cohen Promotions would be a perfect fit for Jimmy as Greg and the team have deep-rooted experience in working with non US-based fighters and getting them the right opportunities at the right times.

“I am delighted that we could bring this deal to fruition and I have very high hopes for Jimmy Kelly Jr going forward.”