Johnny Fisher is far from flawless, and he never pretends otherwise. The charismatic "Romford Bull" has tasted defeat when he entered the ring expecting victory, and at times his bouts have devolved from measured tune‑ups into chaotic brawls. Yet, alongside those setbacks lies a powerful equaliser.
Fisher is undeniably a heavy‑handed puncher, and he is steadily refining the way he harnesss that raw strength. He also understands a fundamental truth about the heavyweight division: when you’re dealing with men of such massive size who can deliver thunderous blows, the line between triumph and loss is razor‑thin.
Even the most promising prospects can suffer an unexpected upset, and a perceived underdog can spring a surprise victory at any moment. "There’s something special about the boxing world where two big gentlemen go into the ring and they really lay it all bare for everyone to see.
So that’s why people tune in," Fisher told Sky Sports. "Enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride. That’s all it is.
My ride might end with me fighting for an English title or a British title or having a big fight at the Copper Box against a hard opponent and it falling all apart, but I’ll give 110 per cent every single time. That’s what it’s about." On Saturday night, Fisher will step into the Copper Box Arena for a live Sky Sports showdown against Belgium’s Michael Pirotton.
Pirotton has been knocked down twice before, but both losses came at the hands of unbeaten opponents, and he has never been stopped in the ring—a distinction Fisher does not share. Despite that, the Englishman believes his own setbacks will ultimately make him stronger. "If it was easy, there’d be a lot more blokes doing it," he said.
"All of those little knocks, those cuts and those scars, they can build you. Don’t let them break you, let them build you." Fisher will have the roaring support of the "Romford Bull Army" chanting his name throughout the bout. That kind of home‑crowd energy is rare, and Pirotton will be looking to use that pressure against the local hero. Fisher, however, is confident the atmosphere will work in his favour.
"It’s dealing with the pressure of big circumstances. I’ve been in front of arenas of thousands of people for a long time now, so I can deal with that," he explained. "When you hear that roar you can let it either overtake your brain and frazzle it, or channel everything.
You’ve just got to channel it and use it to focus you. That roar when you hear it, it’s like a genuine roar and they make noise throughout the whole fight." For Fisher, the pressure is not the crushing kind you might imagine. He knows the fans are behind him win or lose, which oddly frees him from the weight of expectation. "You’ve got to view it as a privilege that these people come out and support you," he said.
"These people are really genuine and they want to come out and see me do well. They turn out no matter what. So that adds another level of a different pressure. I’ve been wrestling with that thought in my head.
It’s a bit of an oxymoronic thought." He is also determined to demonstrate how far his ringcraft has progressed. "I’m done with the days of trying to prove myself to anyone. Who am I trying to prove anything to?
To try and impress human beings you’re doing the wrong thing. All you’ve got to do is live life the way you think you should live it and be kind to people, give people enjoyment, give people entertainment and be a genuine person and try your hardest. Try your best and that’s all you can do," Fisher declared.
On the undercard, Craig Richards will face Radivoje "Hot Rod" Kalajdzic in a ten‑round light‑heavyweight clash that promises top‑class action. Both men have already tested themselves against elite opposition. Kalajdzic stepped into the ring with Artur Beterbiev during the 2019 IBF world‑title challenge, and in his most recent outing he rose from the canvas twice to defeat former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Richards, meanwhile, went toe‑to‑toe with Dmitry Bivol in 2021, a bout that looks increasingly impressive as Bivol has cemented his status as the undisputed champion of the division.
Richards reflected on his fight with Bivol: "The biggest thing I learned from that fight, I was a little bit disappointed that I didn’t go through the gears as much as I could. You saw the interview before the Beterbiev first fight and they said, ‘Who was your hardest fight?’ He [Bivol] said: ‘Actually a guy, Craig Richards, from England.’ He said: ‘It looks like it wasn’t that to you lot, but there was a lot of thinking going on in there.’ I think sometimes as a boxer there’s so much that comes into account rather than just trading punches. Timing, traps, IQ, and at that elite level, you will understand and they understand what’s going on in there." Richards also hinted at a possible rematch with the champion: "I saw Bivol a couple of years ago and he said to me, ‘I know I’m going to see you again,’ and I said to him, ‘100 per cent.’ He knows we’re going to meet again." He added that he wants to keep fighting the very best because that is where he feels he belongs: "If I leave this sport and I don’t show everyone how good I am it will be very disappointing." Fans can catch the headline fight—Johnny Fisher versus Michael Pirotton—along with the supporting card on Zuffa Boxing 11, live on Sky Sports from 7 p.m. at the Copper Box Arena.
The event promises a night of high‑octane heavyweight drama, the roar of a passionate crowd, and a showcase of how setbacks can be transformed into stepping stones for future success.