Heaney: Undisputed king of ticket-sellers
Heaney: How the hell does one man sell that many tickets?
IN today’s game, there are ticket-sellers - those fighters, beloved by promoters, capable of putting more bums on seats than most.
Then there’s Nathan Heaney, a middleweight who does not so much have an army of supporters behind him. It’s more an entire city.
It seems Stoke, in its entirety, has succumbed to Heaney fever. He has become the Potteries’ favourite sporting son.
On March 25, at Telford International Centre, the 33-year-old will fight a return with Jack Flatley for the vacant WBA Continental title.
Such is the phenomenal pulling power of Heaney, unbeaten in 16 contest, he has single-handedly sold out a large, famous venue – Kings Hall, Stoke.He did that by shifting over 750 tickets. That, by today’s standards, is truly staggering. That’s not a title fight, it’s Woodstock.Geography will not prevent Telford International Centre from being similarly submerged in a red and white tidal wave.
On the night, his opponent will face the trademark wall-of-sound. They will be treated to the familiar raucous strains of Tom Jones classic Delilah, belted out by Stoke City diehards.
The scenes are something to savour - scenes I haven’t witnessed on fight night for a very long time.
At times, even Heaney struggles to come to terms with the sheer volume of support he’s gathered.
“I ask myself, ‘why do so many people go?’” he told me. “I honestly thing the atmosphere is that good that it becomes a self-fulfilling thing, in a way.
“I try to be personal with everyone who buys a ticket. I chat to them, message them. I’m thankful for everything they do.”
Nathan said proudly: “I feel there is a city behind me and they believe in me. Obviously, there’s pressure because I never want to lose.
“But when I fought Tom Stokes (for the Midlands title at Kings Hall), every time I threw a combination they roared. It gave me extra energy, it really made a difference.
“Sixty people came to my debut in Walsall. Usually, ticket sales dwindle after that, but that never happened. It is incredible. I can’t thank them enough.
“I’ve always said you can’t get better than Stokies. They’ve made me one of their own.”
For Heaney, selling out Kings Hall is one ambition realised.
There remains another.
“I live on Stanley Matthews Way, right by the bet365 Stadium. I always dreamed of playing for Stoke, but wasn’t good enough. Boxing at the ground would be the next best thing.”
With Heaney’s Potteries popularity growing daily at an astounding rate, that dream looks set to be a reality.
What’s more, at this rate he may even get a bigger crowd than his beloved Stoke City.
From my experience, they’ll certainly be noisier.