PLANT CITY, Florida (March 25, 2022): Panamanian contender Cesar Francis (10-0, 6 KOs) scored a 10-round unanimous decision win against Mohamed Mimoune (22-5, 3 KOs) of Toulouse, France in the main event of a ProBox Promotions show on Friday night in Plant City, Florida.

Francis, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, won with scores of 94-93, 95-92 and 95-92. The event took place at the ProBox Events Center.

“We fought against a veteran,” said Cesar Francis. “I barely had nine fights, but I still won the fight. This is what I wanted. I want challenges. I want big fights. I’m happy I took and overcame the challenge.”

In the co-main event, Christian Thun (8-0, 6 KOs) of Schwelm, Germany defeated Amron Sands (11-2, 9 KOs) of Orlando, Florida in a heavyweight fight. Thun ended matters at 2:22 of the first round.

Najee Lopez (4-0, 4 KOs) of Ellenwood, Georgia delivered a vicious beating on Anthony Stewart (6-2-2, 4 KOs) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama before winning by TKO at 2:29 of the fourth round of a cruiserweight battle.

Jusiyah Shirley (4-0, 4 KOs) of Orlando, Florida scored a fourth-round stoppage win over Javonni Bennett (1-0) of Chicago, Illinois in a super lightweight clash. The fight was stopped at 2:31 of the round just mentioned.

Darrelle Valsaint (3-0, 2 KO) of Orlando, Florida scored a first-round knockout win against Geronimo Nahuel Sacco (9-4-1, 1 KO) of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The fight was stopped at 2:04 of the aforementioned round.

Jaycob Gomez (3-0, 3 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico defeated fellow countryman Pedro Hernandez (7-11-1, 2 KOs) at 2:03 of the third round of a super featherweight bout.

Super middleweight prospect Daniel Blancas (1-0, 1 KO) of Milwuakee, Wisconsin scored a brutal knockout victory against Andre Graham (0-1) of Arvada, Colorado in his pro debut. The official time of the stoppage was 2:02 of the second round.

Eric Abraham (7-13, 3 KOs) of Schenectady, New York defeated Marsellos Wilder (5-3, 2 KOs) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama via four-round split decision in a cruiserweight bout. Abraham won with two scorecards of 58-56, while one judge had it the same for Wilder.

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Mimoune vs. Francis was a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by ProBox Promotions. The event took place on Friday, March 25 at the ProBox 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 combine his love of boxing with business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Najee Lopez, Casey Dixon, Julio Solis, the Valle Brothers Marques and Dominic, and more.

PLANT CITY, Florida (March 21, 2022): Christian Thun (7-0, 5 KOs) of Schwelm, Germany and Amron Sands (11-1, 9 KOs) of Orlando, Florida will meet in a heavyweight battle in the eight-round co-feature to Mimoune vs. Francis on Friday, March 25. The event, which also will feature a stacked card of undefeated prospects, will take place at the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streaming information will be announced shortly.

Thun is a native of Ennepetal, Germany who debuted as a professional in March 2018. The 30-year-old puncher has since remained undefeated in seven fights, maintaining a more than 70% knockout ratio in the process by scoring wins in different parts of the world, including Monaco, Spain, the United States and in his home country.

In his last outing, Thun stopped Keenan Hickmon via knockout in only one round. It won’t be too long before he gets to challenge some of the big names in the division, but first he’ll need a similar performance against Sands in order to earn a top stop in the rankings.

Sands, a 27-year-old native of the Bahamas, debuted as a pro in 2017 and has since developed in to a local favorite in the South Florida area. His only loss has been against a fellow undefeated fighter and he possesses more knockouts than Thun has fights, so he has everything it takes to ruin Thun’s plans at moving up the rankings.

The March 25 event features a full slate of undercard action.

Cruiserweight prospect Najee Lopez (3-0, 3 KOs) of Ellenwood, Georgia will face Anthony Stewart (6-1-2, 4 KOs) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama in a six-round bout.
Jusiyah Shirley (3-0, 3 KOs) of Orlando, Florida will take on Javonni Bemett (1-0) of Chicago, Illinois in a scheduled six-rounder in the super lightweight division.

Darrelle Valsaint (2-0, 1 KO) of Orlando, Florida will face off against Jorge Martin Garcia (13-8-1, 3 KOs) of General Lavalle, Argentina across six-rounds of middleweight action.

Jaycob Gomez (2-0) of Caguas, Puerto Rico will battle Pedro Hernandez (7-10-1, 2 KOs) of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico in a four-round super featherweight bout.

Daniel Blancas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin will make his pro debut against Andre Graham (2-1) of Arvada, Colorado in a four-round super middleweight clash.

Jan Paul Rivera-Pizarro (22-7) of Salinas, Puerto Rico will return against a soon-to-be-announced opponent in a four-round super featherweight battle.

Marsellos Wilder (5-2, 2 KOs), the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, will fight Eric Abraham (6-13, 3 KOs) of Schenectady, New York in a six-round cruiserweight bout.
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Mimoune vs. Francis is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by ProBox Promotions. The event takes place Friday, March 25 at the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streaming information will be announced shortly.

Tickets for Mimoune vs. Francis are on sale now, priced at $75, $100, $125, $150, $200 and $250, excluding applicable services charges. Tickets are available for purchase at TicketLeap.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 combine his love of boxing with business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Najee Lopez, Casey Dixon, Julio Solis, the Valle Brothers Marques and Dominic, and more.

New York, NY (March 12, 2021) DiBella Entertainment prospects Amron Sands and Juan Carlos Carrillo fight TONIGHT at Hotel Catalonia Malecon Center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The livestream of the event, promoted by Shuan Boxing Promotions, will be available via DiBella Entertainment’s website and Shuan Boxing’s YouTube channel, beginning at 5:00pm ET/2:00pm PT.

Bahamian heavyweight power puncher Amron “The Sandman” Sands (11-0, 9 KOs) collides with local unbeaten Dominican Alexis Garcia (9-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round contest.

Colombian Olympian Juan Carlos Carrillo (4-0, 2 KOs) vies for the vacant WBA Fedecentro light heavyweight title against Reinaldo Gonzalez (16-2, 9 KOs), of Maturin, Venezuela, in an eight-round clash.

“Amron will end an extended layoff due to the pandemic against a tough undefeated foe, Alexis Garcia, in his opponent’s backyard,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “In just his fifth professional fight, Carrillo is stepping up in a major challenge for the WBA Fedecentro light heavyweight title against the experienced Reinaldo Gonzalez, who has a 16-2 record. Thank you to our friends at Shuan Boxing for having us participate in this great event.”

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Kevin Dever Sports Management, the six-foot-six Sands, born in Nassau, Bahamas, now based in Orlando, FL, accumulated a 40-3 amateur record before turning pro on August 5, 2017. He now trains out of Kissimmee Boxing Academy under the tutelage of coaches Rashad Mays and Jose Ramos.

The 28-year-old Carrillo advanced to the second round at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carrillo comes from a boxing family and, at age nine, followed his father and older brother into the sport. Accumulating a record of 388-23, he was among Colombia’s most decorated amateurs. Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Carrillo is now based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and is trained by Luis Perez. Managed by Felipe Gomez, of El Matador Management, he turned professional on May 17, 2019, with a second-round stoppage.

New York, NY (March 5, 2021) DiBella Entertainment prospects Amron Sands and Juan Carlos Carrillo will travel to the Dominican Republic next week to compete on Friday, March 12, at Hotel Catalonia Malecon Center in Santo Domingo. The livestream of the event, promoted by Shuan Boxing Promotions, will be available via Shuan Boxing’s YouTube channel and DiBella Entertainment’s website.

Bahamian heavyweight power puncher Amron “The Sandman” Sands (11-0, 9 KOs) makes his ring return against local unbeaten Dominican Alexis Garcia (9-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round contest.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Kevin Dever Sports Management, the six-foot-six Sands, born in Nassau, Bahamas, now based in Orlando, FL, accumulated a 40-3 amateur record before turning pro on August 5, 2017. After earning silver at the 2014 Independent Cup in the Dominican Republic, Sands moved to Florida in search of better training facilities. He also won first place at the 2015 Florida State PAL Boxing Championships and 2016 Sugar Bert Promotions Title Belt National Qualifier. He now trains out of Kissimmee Boxing Academy under the tutelage of coaches Rashad Mays and Jose Ramos.

Colombian Olympian Juan Carlos Carrillo (4-0, 2 KOs) will vie for the vacant WBA Fedecentro light heavyweight title against Reinaldo Gonzalez (16-2, 9 KOs), of Maturin, Venezuela, in an eight-round clash.

The 28-year-old Carrillo advanced to the second round at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Accumulating a record of 388-23, he was among Colombia’s most decorated amateurs, winning gold at the 2012 Colombian National Games, 2012 Pacific Cup Tournament, 2011 Colombian National Championships, 2010 Colombian Youth National Championships, and silver at the 2014 Central American & Caribbean Games. Carrillo comes from a boxing family and, at age nine, followed his father and older brother into the sport. His brother, Leonard Carrillo, is an active junior middleweight.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Carrillo is now based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and is trained by Luis Perez, who also works with Dominican Jeison Rosario. Managed by Felipe Gomez, of El Matador Management, he turned professional on May 17, 2019, with a second-round stoppage of Yendris Rodriguez Valdez, in Miami, FL.

New York, NY (2/21/20) – Heavyweight prospect Amron “The Sandman” Sands improved to 11-0 (9 KOs) with a victory against Cristian Galvez last night at Club Deportivo Calero in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The six-foot-six Sands, born in Nassau, Bahamas, now based in Orlando, FL, came out aggressively, dropping Galvez in the opening round with a left hook. However, he hurt his left thumb while blocking a punch later in the frame and had to switch tactics. Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Kevin Dever Sports Management, Sands pumped his jab to outbox Galvez and punished him to the body whenever his foe moved in too close. Going the eight-round distance for the first time, Sands won a unanimous decision. Galvez, of Maimon, Dominican Republic, is now 17-6 (15 KOs).

Before turning pro on August 5, 2017, Sands accumulated a 40-3 record as an amateur. After earning silver at the 2014 Independent Cup in the Dominican Republic, Sands moved to Florida and started training out of Orlando Boxing Academy with head coach Buck Mitchell. He also won first place at the 2015 Florida State PAL Boxing Championships and 2016 Sugar Bert Promotions Title Belt National Qualifier.

New York, NY (November 23, 2019) Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (19-2, 16 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, returns to battle tonight in a scheduled eight-round clash against former Ghanaian middleweight champion Ernest Amuzu (25-4, 22 KOs), of Prichard, AL, at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium in Tampa, Florida.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, the heavy-handed Khytrov is determined to continue the momentum following his last two impressive victories. Competing in the fifth season of “The Contender” series, Khytrov went 2-1, including knockouts of Morgan Fitch and Malcolm McAllister. Most recently, he stopped Gabriel Pham in the sixth round on August 1, 2019, in Monroeville, PA, to capture the WBC USNBC super middleweight title.

Khytrov weighed in at 168.2 pounds and Amuzu, 167.6 pounds.

Also fighting under the DiBella Entertainment banner, heavyweight knockout artist Amron “The Sandman” Sands (9-0, 8 KOs), of Orlando, FL, faces Monterrey, Mexico’s Daniel Najera (9-4-1, 4 KOs) in a scheduled eight-rounder. Fighting twice in 2019, the 25-year-old Sands has scored early knockouts this year against Hector Hodge in the opening frame and, most recently, a second-round stoppage of Thomas Hawkins on August 23. After his victory against Hawkins, Sands visited his native Nassau, Bahamas, where he spent weeks working with rescue units in the wake of the destruction from Hurricane Dorian.

Also featured on Saturday night in Tampa, heralded and undefeated welterweight prospect Mark Reyes Jr. (10-0, 8 KOs), fighting in his hometown, faces battle-tested Hungarian Gabor Kovacs. The hard-punching 23-year-old Reyes has scored two first-round knockouts this year; versus previously undefeated Rodrigo Tatijewski on February 16, and Lamont White on August 23.

New York, NY (September 6, 2019) Following his victory on August 23 in Tampa, FL, DiBella Entertainment’s 25-year-old undefeated heavyweight prospect Amron “The Sandman” Sands (9-0, 8 KOs) returned to his native Bahamas to visit family when Hurricane Dorian struck. With his countrymen, relatives and friends left to recover from the effects of the destruction, Sands has since done all he can to offer his assistance and help the relief efforts.

“What happened to the Bahamas was devastating and my heavyweight, Amron Sands, was among the many thousands of people personally affected by this tragedy,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “He stayed behind to weather the storm with his family to help them and others stay safe and healthy through the devastation. Amron has continued to help by donating fresh water, clothing and other important items. There are many great relief organizations to donate to, including AllHandsandHearts.org, and DiBella Entertainment supports their efforts.”

“I went back to the Bahamas shortly after my last fight to spend time with my family. About a week later, Hurricane Dorian touched down and ravaged the islands,” said Sands. “My father’s house in Nassau was flooded and left without power and my seventy-year-old grandparents’ home in Freeport was absolutely destroyed. They are currently living in a shelter right now, as the airport in Freeport is shut down and the only way in and out is via helicopter.

“After the hurricane hit, I moved into a hotel for a few days on Paradise Island. Even with the hotel built at a higher elevation in case of situations like this, the pouring rain was still beating down through the windows, and hotel personnel made everyone on the ground floor move up to at least the third floor. A few friends of mine displaced by the storm came by my room to use the shower and sleep on the floor. I have other friends still sleeping in their cars.

“When I left the Bahamas to head back to Orlando, the airport in Nassau looked like a crowded hospital with people bandaged up and lying on the floor hoping to get out. My sister and I have been bringing packages of water, canned goods, clothes and other helpful supplies to the Bahamas Air terminal at Orlando Airport, where they have been transporting items back to the Bahamas for people in need. Anyone local can go to their drop-off location to donate. I’ll be heading back to the Bahamas myself as soon as I can to help with the cleanup and rebuilding process. I also strongly support hurricane relief groups like AllHandsandHearts.org and I encourage anyone that is capable to please donate and help those affected by this storm.”

Lance Pugmire, of The Athletic, detailed Sands’ extensive relief work in a story that can be read HERE.

The heavy-handed Sands turned professional in 2017 and has scored eight knockouts in his first nine fights, all coming within the first two rounds.
About All Hands and Hearts/Hurricane Dorian
Disaster Profile — Hurricane Dorian battered the Bahamas as a slow-moving category 5 hurricane, with heavy rains, damaging winds and severe storm surges. As Dorian pulls away from the Bahamas and moves up the US Atlantic coast, it has weakened to a category 2 hurricane.
Our Work — Our Disaster Assessment Response Team is prepared to deploy to the Bahamas. Given our 14+ years of experience, having worked in more than 100 disasters, we recognize that our team should not move in until the hurricane has passed, local authorities have signaled that search and rescue is winding down, and they can safely arrive via the airport. All funds donated will be used to help the impacted communities and our experienced team’s preparation will ensure we effectively and efficiently provide needed help. Additionally, our US assessment team has staged in Georgia, in anticipation of Dorian’s potential impact on the US coast. They are prepared to head into affected areas to perform ground assessments as soon as it is safe to do so. We will continue to update our website so please check back for the latest information periodically.

New York, NY (7/2/19) – DiBella Entertainment has added six-foot-six Bahamian Amron “The Sandman” Sands (8-0, 7 KOs), of Orlando, FL, to its roster of heavyweight prospects. Sands is managed by Kevin Dever Sports Management.

In his last bout, on February 16, Sands fought in his first scheduled six-rounder but needed less than one round to stop Hector Hodge at St. Petersburg Coliseum in Florida.

“Amron is a big heavyweight with a lot of power,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “The heavyweight division is hot right now and Sands has the kind of style that will entertain the audience. I’m happy to be working again with my friend Kevin Dever and, together, we will make sure that Amron reaches his full potential.”

“I signed with DiBella Entertainment because Lou is one of the most trustworthy promoters in boxing and he has great relationships in the business to get my name out there,” said Sands. “I know that, with his guidance, I can become heavyweight champion of the world. I can box and I can bang and I’m what the heavyweight division needs. I’m very excited about my future and am ready to put in the work.”

“I have always had a great working relationship with Lou DiBella. He genuinely cares about his fighters,” said Kevin Dever. “DiBella Entertainment knows how to build a fighter to become a world champion and I know that Amron is in good hands.”

Born in Nassau, Bahamas, Sands initially aspired to become a professional basketball player. His natural athleticism and talent were recognized at an early age and led him to receiving a scholarship to attend the sports-oriented high school Save Our Youth Leadership Academy in Tulsa, OK. However, during a senior year basketball game, Sands damaged the ACL and MCL in his right knee, which forced him to withdraw from the school and return home to the Bahamas.

Sands’ boxing journey began when he reconnected with Ronn Rodgers, an old basketball coach from his youth who now owned a local boxing gym in Nassau, Bahamas. While Sands was training at Strikers School of Boxing to aid his recovery from the knee injury and get back in shape, Rodgers saw potential and urged him consider competing in boxing.

It wasn’t until he survived what could have been a fatal motorcycle accident, which left third-degree burns all over the right side of his body, that Sands found the motivation to enter the world of pugilism.

“I was 19 years old, riding my motorcycle and going 110 mph, not wearing a helmet or vest, just shorts and a tank top,” said Sands. “The bike skidded on some dirt when I was trying to get around a car and I lost control. The bike flipped over and I went flying, landing on the pavement maybe 100 feet away while the bike hit a tree. It’s a miracle that I didn’t break any bones; I guess I have a pretty good chin.

“Following an experience like that, where I could have died, I wanted to move my life in a positive direction and decided to heed coach Rodgers’ advice to take up boxing.”

After earning silver at the 2014 Independent Cup in the Dominican Republic, Sands moved with his family to Orlando, FL, and started training out of Orlando Boxing Academy with head coach Buck Mitchell. Accumulating an overall amateur record of 40-3, Sands also won first place at the 2015 Florida State PAL Boxing Championships and 2016 Sugar Bert Promotions Title Belt National Qualifier. His Olympic dreams were dashed when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that he did not yet have enough experience to compete in any qualifying tournaments. That decision prompted Sands to turn pro and he debuted on August 5, 2017, dropping Julio Mendoza twice to score a TKO victory in 86 seconds. With Mitchell in his corner, the heavy-handed Sands has thus far won all but one of his bouts by knockout.

Details on Sands’ next contest will be announced shortly.

CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (June 3, 2019) — Kevin Dever Sports Management has announced the signing of undefeated heavyweight prospect Amton “Sandman” Sands to an exclusive managerial contract.

The 25-year-old Sands (8-0, 7 KO), a native of the Bahamas, lives and trains in Orlando, Florida. He stands 6′ 6″ and weighs 250 pounds.

Dever has been a boxing manager for many years, however, issues with his last two boxers left him discouraged, and he had walked away from boxing. Only a phone call from a close fiend about Sands drew him back to boxing.

“I was disgusted,” Dever commented. “A good friend I really trust told me about Amron and suggested that I give boxing one more try. So, I watched some tapes of him and saw that he punches hard and he can take a punch, too. He’s athletic and very quick on his feet for a big guy. I now know that he’s a very graceful, carefree guy but, when the bell rings, it’s like a switch goes off and he’s a different guy. He reminds me of how Lennox Lewis was, and I got my start working on his team. I learned a lot and hopefully Amron will be close to being as successful as Lennox.”

Sands is thrilled to have a veteran boxing manger such as Dever in his corner. “I signed with Kevin because he is very educated about the sport of boxing and he came highly recommended,” Sands said. “He really knows boxing and I feel comfortable working with him. I know that we are going to make some big things happen.

“I can do it all. I can box, but I favor brawling, because it shows who has the bigger heart. No one has a bigger heart than me. I just need to listen to my team and let Kevin do his job. I’ll do mine and we can make it to the top.”

Sands was a hot basketball prospect until he damaged hos ACL and MCL, which led him in a roundabout way to boxing. With a lesser vertical jump, Sands realized that basketball wasn’t in his future. He had moved to the United States to enhance his basketball recruiting opportunities but returned home to the Bahamas after recovering from his knee injury. There he hooked up with his former basketball coach, Ron Rodgers, who had opened a boxing gym there.

Rodgers suggested that Sands box because he was such a good all-around athlete. “I looked at Ron like he was crazy,” Sands remembered. “I was too handsome to box, but I started boxing for fitness and as time went by, he persuaded me box.”

At the age of 18, Sands had his first amateur fight, knocking out his opponent out. All of a sudden Sands had a change of mind. Not only did he study bowing, he traveled to training camps in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and other places to learn his new craft.

Sand’s plan was to represent the Bahamas at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

“I tried to go but was told that I wasn’t experienced enough,” Sands added, “The heavyweights they had weren’t at my level. I had been boxing three years and was knocking out people without head gear. I didn’t get to go (to the Olympics) and since I could live in America and the Bahamas, I moved to Orlando (Fla) and started calling coaches who I had met in the amateurs. I loved training, turned pro, and that’s when the party started.”

On August 5, 2017, Sands (pictured above on the right) turned pro in Lakeland, Fla, stopping Julio Mendoza in the opening round. He is now undefeated in eight pro fights, seven ending in knockout, including his last action this past February in St. Petersburg (Fla), in which Hector Hodge failed to get out of round one.