Inside the Ring and Out: Jaron Ennis Reflects on Outselling Mike Tyson in Philadelphia
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will appear in a homecoming fight in Philadelphia for his upcoming bout this Saturday. The 27-year-old is going up against Russian-born boxer David Avanesyan on July 13th, at the Wells Fargo Center on the main card of the Matchroom Boxing event. Interestingly, according to Boots’ promoter, the young champion has supposedly surpassed boxing great Mike Tyson’s record of selling tickets in the City in Pennsylvania, when Tyson fought Buster Mathis Jr. here in 1995. Based on the tickets already sold, the Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan fight is expected to have a footfall of “13,000 and 14,000 and maybe even more.”
Breaking Tyson’s record of selling 10,000 seats in Philly is a significant feat. However, the IBF welterweight champion is keeping this accomplishment out of his mind and instead is focusing more on the bout ahead. Although he is glad to have surpassed Tyson’s record, he is more concerned with winning the fight than the impressive ticket sales the event has generated.
Jaron Ennis’ eyes more gold at 147
The Philadelphia native was slated to fight Cody Crowley. But the latter backed out of the fight and was replaced by David Avanesyan instead. Despite the change in opponent, the fight sales surpassed Tyson’s record. Following that, ahead of his fight coming Saturday, Ennis was asked, “Eddie Hearn said that you outsold Mike Tyson. How does that feel?” The boxer answered with a calm demeanor and an innocuous smile, “I don’t know, I feel normal. I don’t know. Like just another day for me. It really another day for me, you know.”
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The 31-0 boxer further added, “Like I said I’m excited man, and I’m blessed to be able to you know, be here, playing it at Wells Fargo Center.” He explained that he was just glad that people from his city were buying tickets and supporting him.
‘Boots’ has proved to be a promising fighter up until now, and seeing the potential, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing signed him earlier this year. Hearn referred to Ennis’ signing as “one of the greatest signings,” he has had, further solidifying the boxer’s distinction.
Despite all the hype around him, Ennis’ eyes are on gold, which is becoming the next undisputed welterweight champion. “I got one. So like I said, my main goal is I got one belt, I am go and collect the rest of these belts at 47 and then go do it at 54,” he said in the same interview. But his promoter is going even further than that to claim, that he could take on one of the best boxers in the world.
Eddie Hearn is ready to back Boots against Terence Crawford
Fans have been long anticipating a fight between Terence Crawford and Ennis. However, ‘Bud’ has already defeated everyone at 147 pounds, and he now aims to fight Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds. But Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn wants to see the boxer go up against Crawford, which may open more doors for ‘Boots’ since he was the undisputed welterweight champion until the move up in weight.
The British promoter stated, “We’ve got to get him in the fights, we’ve got to get him undisputed at 147, he can move up. I want to see him fight Terence Crawford. That’s a fight that’s been talked about, and Terence will only take that fight if it’s big enough. I’ll back Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis against anybody. And what a joy to be guiding this man’s career.”
It would definitely be a thrilling showdown for fans to see Jaron Ennis go up against pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford. Only time will tell if this match-up reaches its fruition. Meanwhile, what are your thoughts about Ennis breaking Tyson’s record? Share it in the comments section below.
