(Plant City, Florida) We were curious to go for the first time to Friday night’s event, organized by ProBox TV. In particular because we were wondering what this new online broadcasting platform devoted entirely to professional boxing consisted of.
Posted at 7:00 a.m.
On Google Maps, the address provided by the organizers appears to point to a vacant lot between two Plant City cemeteries, about a 30-minute drive from downtown Tampa.
When the taxi driver drops off the representative of The Press at the place indicated, we arrive in front of… a detoxification centre. We go in anyway.
“Boxing? sighs the clerk at the counter, visibly exasperated after what we imagine to be a morning of similar requests from somewhat lost individuals.
It tells us where it is. It’s actually behind the ” wellness center » that the indicated complex is located.
It is sunny and warm on this Thursday morning. The building, in front of which is inscribed the ProBox TV logo, is surrounded by palm trees and parking lots. People come in and out to prepare for Friday evening.
A few steps away are the hotel rooms where the athletes and their teams are accommodated.
We enter. Air conditioning is good. Men – the vast majority of them here – are chatting near a boxing ring. This boxing ring, a hundred seats overlook it.
We quickly understand that the product offered by ProBox TV is expressly designed for its broadcasting service, not for the sale of tickets in large packed rooms.
We cross a curtain, and here we are near the stage where the weigh-in will take place in a few minutes. This is also where the press conferences take place.
The founders of ProBox TV, all from the world of boxing, are there: Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Márquez, Paul Malignaggi and Antonio Tarver. They repeat to anyone who will listen that ProBox TV is offered at US$1.99 (CAN$2.55) for a monthly subscription, or at CAN$23 annually. We say we want to compete for the prizes of fights broadcast on pay-per-view.
ProBox formulas
Alongside our colleagues from RDS, we come across Sébastien Gauthier, a former boxer hired as a French-speaking analyst for Friday evening. He is currently living a dream week, meeting former renowned boxers, athletes and trainers.
“I was lucky,” he explains. On my 40th birthday, I received a call from the ProBox team asking me if I wanted to analyze the fights in French. They want to launch the application in a good way by having French, English and Spanish. »
Sébastien Gauthier explains the different concepts.
“There are three formulas. There are the leads, so developing athletes. »
What ProBox TV dubbed the Future Stars Series.
“Then there are going to be contenders, so boxers who are well ranked, who are moving up the world rankings, who have undefeated records. We will test them among themselves to find out who can make it to the elite. »
What we called the Contender Series.
Then there is the Last Chance Tournament. “The Last Chance Tournament. It allows for the most interesting fights. They are not boxers in the world elite, but they are still well ranked. They faced the best, worldwide. […] It will give competitive fights. »
This tournament will serve as the undercard on Friday, with eight fighters from the quarter-finals. This will all lead to the highlight of the show, the main map. Jean Pascal’s fight against Meng Fanlong may be part of the Last Chance Tournament theme, but it’s not.
PHOTO JEAN-FRANÇOIS TEOTONIO, THE PRESS
The weigh-in was at 9 a.m. Thursday morning. An unusual moment for this type of exercise, more than 30 hours before the event. Usually, it takes place rather at the end of the afternoon, the day before the fight. Antonio Tarver, well in voice, had not failed to note it a little earlier: “In my time, one had to fast all day before being able to eat! he said as he entered the press conference room.
Everything goes off without a hitch for Pascal and his adversary. As soon as he leaves the stage, the Quebecer throws himself on his food.
We wrap up our interviews. Leaving the scene, we meet again the Quebec pugilist who returns to his quarters just next door. And we are heading back to Tampa, a hotspot for goatee goats, stray roosters and half-functioning self-service electric scooters.