Ben Shalom has revealed a rough number of pay-per-view buys for Chris Eubank Jr versus Liam Smith on January 21.
The fight was buoyed by a heated build up with genuine animosity between the pair and, although no title was on the line, it was sold on the idea of the danger a loss posed to each man.
Smith upset the odds by producing a sensational fourth round knockout on Eubank, smashing his opponent’s confidence as well as the myth that he couldn’t be hurt in the ring.
In the lead up, opinions were split on the box office route. Some fans had claimed that it wasn’t deserving of its pay-per-view status, whilst others accepted that it was a big enough fight to warrant it.
The promoter told Seconds Out that the final number of buys was high above 200,000, but didn’t quite reach the next milestone of 300,000.
“It did very well. And I don’t know whether I can say or not, but it did very well. Began with a 2, and very, very high. For it do that on the hardest weekend in January, in a fight that many people didn’t think was pay-per-view, unbelievable performance.
Great promotion. Exceeded all expectations … if you can get a 50/50 fight with two fighters putting it all on the line at the right time, for me, that’s what makes a great box office event.”
The card was set at a price point of £19.95 for Sky Box Office customers.
Before the main event, it featured Ekow Essuman retaining his British and Commonwealth welterweight titles against Chris Kongo in a close contest, as well as a relatively laboured affair between former heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker, and Jack Massey in his first fight away from the cruiserweight ranks.
Frazer Clarke moved to 5-0 as a pro with a stoppage victory over Kevin Espindola, and heavyweight prospect, Matty Harris, scored a first round knockout over Jiri Surmaj.
It’s believed now that Chris Eubank Jr will activate the rematch clause he had in the contract, and will face Smith again sometime in the summer – although his promoter, Kalle Sauerland, has left other options open.