Ring Unique: Boots Ennis grabs glowing numbers in Philly with hardly any assist

PHILADELPHIA — Jaron ‘Boots” Ennis did it—and he did by himself, with a substantial push from Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, and marginal assist, regionally, in Philadelphia media.

In any other case, Ennis, the IBF welterweight titlist and present Ring No. 1 contender, drew an introduced paid attendance of 14,119 to the Wells Fargo Heart for his fifth-round stoppage over David Avanesyan on Saturday, July 13.

Coming off a yr layoff, Ennis (32-0, 29 knockouts) stuffed 14,119 seats within the 21,000-seat Wells Fargo Heart in making his first IBF title protection. The 14,119 determine is the best attendance for a Philly indoor struggle since all-time nice Marvin Hagler beat Bennie Briscoe by 10-round determination on August 24, 1978, on the defunct Philadelphia Spectrum (14,930).

What The Ring has discovered, by a number of dependable sources, is that there have been 246 comped tickets that weren’t counted, making the precise attendance 14,365.

The gate receipts got here out to be $$1,188,430.

The 13,873 makes the Ennis-Avanesyan struggle the second-highest attended struggle in the US this yr, solely behind the introduced crowd of 18,040 between two pale MMA stars Nate Diaz-Jorge Masvidal on July 6 on the Honda Heart in Anaheim, California.

Ennis-Avanesyan’s uncooked attendance quantity outdid the favored Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney match on Saturday April 20, 2024, at Brooklyn’s Barclays Heart, which drew an introduced crowd of 13,382 ($4,356,065 gate) from 11,480 offered; and the introduced 13,239 crowd for Tank Davis-Frank Martin on Saturday June 15, 2024, on the MGM Grand, Grand Backyard Area, in Las Vegas.

The Ennis-Avanesyan numbers are significantly spectacular, contemplating the dearth of native media the struggle attracted. The one main media outlet that lined the struggle was The Inquirer, with a couple of pre-fight tales and struggle night time protection. In addition to that, the struggle went largely ignored within the Philadelphia sports activities media.

Neither of town’s two main sports activities discuss stations talked about it. One of many native community associates ran a passing shot of Ennis throughout the weigh-in on the tip of their sportscast.

That was it.

Contemplating this was a significant struggle that includes a Philadelphia titlist in a big enviornment, it ought to have merited extra consideration on the airwaves.

It seems Ennis didn’t want the Philadelphia sports activities media. The cardboard was bolstered, nonetheless, by a wealth of native expertise, that includes Washington. D.C. welterweight Jalil Main Hackett, and hometown fighters junior welterweight southpaw Ismail “The Chef” Muhammad, featherweight Christian Carto and bantamweight Dennis “Quiet Storm” Thompson making his professional debut.

What’s extremely encouraging is that the Philadelphia boxing group responded in drive—filling the decrease bowl of the Wells Fargo Heart, the place the NBA’s 76ers and NHL’s Flyers play their residence video games.

Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers and in addition owns International Spectrum, owns the Wells Fargo Heart and desires Ennis again later in 2024.

Hearn himself pledged to make it occur.

“If Boots acquired over 14,000 for Avanesyan, who fought a tricky struggle, who is aware of what Boots would attract a title struggle in opposition to (WBC titlist Mario) Barrios or (WBA “common” titlist Eimantas) Stanionis,” Hearn advised The Ring. “We’re coming again right here. The quantity say this did effectively. We’re pleased. I do know Boots is pleased, and the individuals who personal the Wells Fargo Heart must be pleased.

“This was an enormous occasion and the response says it was. And take into consideration this, Boots did this on his personal. (Matchroom) had loads to do with that, but it surely says one thing about Philadelphia boxing followers. This says that they acknowledge expertise, they acknowledge a champion. Boots is all the things that’s good about boxing, and we’d most likely have a look at a date within the fall to deliver him again.

“Why wouldn’t we?”

Ed Kunkle, the Government Director of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Fee, was capable of touch upon the introduced attendance.

“The 14,119 is improbable,” he stated. “We’re very proud of the turnout. The promoter was very proud of the turnout, and I do imagine that they are going to be again quickly with one other occasion. Once I went within the again earlier than the struggle to speak to Boots and Bozy (Ennis, Boots’ father and coach), I advised them that they made it to the highest and so they took their metropolis with them.

“They didn’t must defend the title in Philadelphia. They wished to offer again to everybody who supported them. It exhibits Philadelphia can help main fights—and this struggle proves it. Philadelphia is a good struggle metropolis, arguably one of the best within the nation.”