PHILLY BOXING HISTORY

Venue: The Arena  

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  THE ARENA ATHLETIC CLUB  
     
 

 
     
     
 

The Arena Athletic Club began hosting fights on January 26, 1897 with a main event that matched Jimmy Handler and Charley Johnson in a six-round exhibition. These were the days of "No Decision" bouts, meaning that no official result would be rendered after the six round limit. All bouts were thus recorded as a "No Decision" unless a knockout occurred.  The Arena was a large circular structure with a domed ceiling.  Inside, there were two levels, the groud floor and a large circular balcony that wrapped around the ring.

 
 


The Arena was a busy venue during its two-plus-year run, staging eighteen shows in its first year and 49 events in its second year.  After one show in 1899 (January 30th), the Arena stopped staging fights. Numerous outstanding pugilists appeared at the Arena, including Joe Choynski, Tom Sharkey, Joe Gans, Joe Walcott, Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, Peter Maher, Owen Ziegler, George Dixon, Young Griffo, Wilmington Jack Daly, Joe Butler, Matty Matthews, Gus Ruhlin, Isadore Strauss, Mysterious Billy Smith, Kid Lavigne, Ellwood McCloskey, Eddie Lenny, Tommy Ryan, and Steve Flanagan.

Many "No Decision" bouts left much to be desired as far as action goes.  Often the newspapers questioned the voracity of the fights, claiming that the combatants would avoid heavy action.

However, at times the fighters let the leather fly and made great fights. Based on the newspaper reports back in the day, some of the Arena's best matches were: the heavyweight battle between Gus Ruhlin and Joe Goddard, which the papers called "Fierce'; Eddy Lenny's six-rounder against Eugene Rowan (12/30/98), which was called "bristling and exciting"; Joe Choynski vs. Joe Goddard (9/12/98) was described as a "Hot Tamale" of a fight.

The Arena A.C.
Indoor Arena / 4,000 Capacity
North Philly - Broad & Cherry

Main Event List

Poster Gallery
Program Gallery
Photo Gallery

 KEY VENUE DATES

   1897 - First Boxing Show - 1/26
   1897 - Joe Walcott Bout - 6/4
   1897 - Geo. Dixon Bout - 6/21
   1897 - Griffo vs Judge - 6/28
   1897 - Joe Butler Bout - 9/6
   1897 - Joe Gans Bout - 11/6
   1897 - Matthews vs Ziegler - 12/27
   1897 - O'Brien vs Strauss - 12/31
   1898 - Walcott vs West - 4/22
   1898 - Maher KOs Kenny - 1/21
   1898 - Billy Smith DQ'd - 1/28
   1898 - Bonner KOs Ullman - 2/25
   1898 - Goddard KOs Maher - 5/13
   1898 - Butler KOs Peppers - 8/5
   1898 - Butler KOs Payne - 9/26
   1898 - Ruhlin vs Goddard - 10/14
   1898 - Ruhlin vs Choynski - 11/4
   1898 - Eakins' "Taking the Count"
   1898 - Eakin's "Salutat"
   1899 - Final Show - 1/30
   1899 - Eakins' "Between Rounds"

 
 


Classical Philadelphia artist Thomas Eakins (1844-1916) created a number of works with the Arena, and fights there, as the subject matter. His three most famous boxing works are "Between Rounds" (1899), "Taking the Count" (1898), and Salutat" (1898).  "Between Rounds" and depicts boxing enigma Mysterious Billy Smith resting in his corner.

About twenty years after the Arena A.C. stopped hosting boxing, another Arena popped up in West Philly.  Also known as the Arena, this second spot became one of Philly's mainstays for boxing action.  However the original Arena was one of the top venues in its day.

 
     
     
 

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