Fisher Returns to Copper Box Under Zuffa Boxing After First Loss — SkimNews
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- Johnny Fisher returns to the Copper Box Arena on Saturday to headline against Belgium's Michael Pirotton in a 10-round bout, marking his promotional debut for Dana White's Zuffa Boxing.
- Dave Allen stopped Fisher in the fifth round in 2025 — five months after their first meeting ended in a controversial split-decision win for Fisher in December 2024 — handing him his first professional defeat.
- Fisher left Eddie Hearn's Matchroom after five years, signing with Zuffa Boxing in July and admitting the deal was a "fantastic financial offer" he "would be lying if I said I could turn down."
- Fisher changed trainers from long-time coach Mark Tibbs to Tony Sims, with this camp including around 160 rounds of sparring, altitude work, and 6am hill sprints after he admits there had previously been "an element of winging it."
- British champion Richard Riakporhe has already welcomed the prospect of facing Fisher if he beats Pirotton, while Fisher named Frazer Clarke and Solomon Dacres as possible domestic opponents and targeted a British title shot within 12 to 18 months.
- Fisher won his first 13 professional fights despite only a handful of amateur bouts and a background in university rugby, with his ticket-selling appeal built around Chinese takeaway reviews and the "Bosh" catchphrase alongside his father "Big John."
Why it matters: Fisher's switch from Matchroom to Dana White's Zuffa Boxing — paired with a trainer change to Tony Sims — represents a deliberate reset for a 27-year-old whose fanbase-driven appeal is now being tested against genuine heavyweight credentials, with British champion Riakporhe already publicly calling for a fight.
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