“It’s good for the family, to perform well in front of a hometown crowd,’’ said the nephew, who is quiet in conversation like one uncle, wild in the ring like the other. “I don’t have to live up to them. We’re all different. [But], the same family, same work ethic.’’

Lowell is a fighting city in many ways, in the ring and in the streets. This former mill city of 106,000 people has a median household income of $50,192, compared with the state median of $64,509, and 17.5 percent of residents live below the poverty line. An event like this would be good for the economy, fans said.

And the locals do appreciate their boxing. The city has hosted the regional and New England Golden Gloves tournament since they began here 66 years ago. Locals boast that famed boxers Rocky Marciano, “Marvelous’’ Marvin Hagler, and Vincent “Vinny’’ Pazienza, as well as Eklund and Ward, have fought here.

Art Ramalho started the popular West End gym - where Ward often trained, the same gym depicted in “The Fighter’’ - in 1968, and it was supposed to only be a “hobby.’’ He still works with fighters there.

“Lowell’s a good fight town,’’ the 76-year-old was saying as he sold 50-50 raffle tickets for local charities. “It’s a good thing they’re bringing boxing back.’’

Jackie O’Neill, one of Ramalho’s former fighters and at 53 a trainer now himself, added, “Just think of all the fighters from here. Mickey fought here, and Sean is great.’’

Pat Donaher, 53, who works as an operations manager at a security company, said he has attended the Golden Gloves finals here for the past 20 years, and he recalls growing up when Dicky Eklund was still proving himself as an amateur. Eklund went on to earn a 19-10 record as a professional and fought Sugar Ray Leonard at Hynes Memorial Auditorium in Boston in 1978. Eklund famously claims in “The Fighter’’ that he knocked Leonard down, though it was long ruled a slip. Donaher called it a knockdown.