By Ryan Ernst
Enquirer staff writer

LOUISVILLE - Even before one of the biggest draws in boxing entered the ring, the night had to be judged a success.

Big-time boxing returned to Louisville Friday.

Freedom Hall filled early during the Mike Tyson-Danny Williams undercard, and Laila Ali revved up the crowd in the building where her legendary father made his professional debut more than four decades earlier.

And the man who pulled it off is heading our way.

"This is just the beginning," said Chris Webb of Straight Out Promotions, the organizers of the fight. "... There's a lot of people here from Cincinnati. The phone's been ringing off the hook from Cincinnati all week. I love Cincinnati. And I would say over the next six months, Straight Out Promotions will definitely be looking to do an event in Cincinnati."

Friday's card, broadcasted by Showtime Pay-Per-View, featured eight fights.

Ali, the daughter of three-time world heavyweight champion and Louisville native Muhammad Ali (18-0, 16 knockouts) entered the ring to a din, followed by chants of "Ali, Ali." She retained her IWBF super middleweight title with a ninth-round TKO of Monica Nunez.

Although attendance figures were not available, fewer than 2,000 of the nearly 18,000 tickets remained Friday morning, and the arena appeared full.

Among those in attendance were former fighters and celebrities who played fighters. Mr. T, adorned in a golden dinner plate, fork and knife on a chain, sat ringside. Former world heavyweight champions Greg Page and Evander Holyfield and a former junior welterweight champion, Cincinnatian Aaron Pryor also took in the fight.

"It's a great crowd and we came to see a great fight," Pryor said. "And we know what Tyson's gonna do. He's gonna fight. Whether it's a good performance or a bad performance, he's gonna fight. And that's what we all want to see."

E-mail rernst@enquirer.com