Johnny Fisher got the victory he needed on Saturday night. Whether he delivered the performance he needed is an entirely different question.
The Romford Bull returned to winning ways with a majority decision victory over Belgium’s Michael Pirotton at London’s Copper Box Arena on 26 September, headlining Zuffa Boxing 11.
The official scorecards read 98-92, 96-95 and 95-95 after ten rounds. Fisher had his hand raised, but it was hardly a comfortable evening for the popular British heavyweight.
For somebody looking to rebuild his reputation following that damaging stoppage defeat against Dave Allen, the Johnny Fisher comeback was supposed to demonstrate that lessons had been learned.
Instead, we witnessed another exhausting contest in which Fisher struggled to maintain control, became increasingly vulnerable as the rounds progressed and was forced to rely on his determination and punching power to get him through.
I like Fisher. His personality is infectious, his popularity is thoroughly deserved, and there’s something refreshing about a heavyweight who genuinely seems to enjoy being involved in boxing.
But liking somebody doesn’t mean ignoring what’s happening inside the ring.
And after watching this latest performance, I can’t help wondering whether Fisher’s commercial profile is developing considerably faster than his boxing ability.
A Victory That Didn’t Provide Much Reassurance
Let’s establish something immediately.
Fisher deserves credit for winning.
Returning after experiencing your first professional defeat is never straightforward, particularly when that defeat came against somebody who had already exposed weaknesses in your previous encounter.
Fisher’s controversial first meeting with Dave Allen raised legitimate questions about his defensive awareness, stamina and ability to manage a fight when an opponent refused to disappear.
Their rematch provided a considerably more emphatic answer, with Allen stopping Fisher in the fifth round.
Although Fisher subsequently returned with a victory over Ivan Balaz in December 2025, the Pirotton contest represented a much more substantial opportunity to demonstrate his development. It was also his first appearance under the Zuffa Boxing banner.
And for periods, there were encouraging signs.
Fisher started aggressively, landed some heavy punches and appeared capable of overwhelming his Belgian opponent. His left hook caused problems early, while his body attacks and combinations demonstrated why his power remains such an important weapon.
However, Pirotton wasn’t interested in becoming another name on Fisher’s knockout record.
He absorbed the punishment, continued responding and gradually forced Fisher into precisely the kind of contest that has previously caused him difficulties.
By the second half of the fight, the momentum had changed.
Fisher was becoming increasingly tired, his opponent was finding opportunities to land, and what initially looked like a potential showcase had developed into another physically demanding battle.
That’s the worrying part.
The Johnny Fisher comeback produced a victory, but it didn’t provide convincing evidence that the problems exposed against Allen have been resolved.
The Stamina Problem Isn’t Going Away
Heavyweights get tired.
That’s hardly a revelation.
Moving that amount of weight around a boxing ring while somebody is attempting to punch you in the face is physically demanding, particularly when you’re throwing powerful shots.
However, there’s a difference between becoming tired during a competitive contest and repeatedly appearing to run out of energy when an opponent survives your initial attacks.
Fisher’s stamina is becoming a recurring concern.
Against Pirotton, his work became increasingly laboured as the rounds progressed. The Belgian maintained his resistance, forced exchanges and enjoyed some of his strongest periods during the later rounds.
By the ninth, Fisher was visibly struggling, although he still managed to produce dangerous power punches and landed a particularly significant right hand in the final round.
That determination deserves recognition.
But should a developing heavyweight with Fisher’s ambitions be finding himself in these situations quite so regularly?
I don’t think so.
The issue isn’t simply whether Fisher possesses sufficient cardiovascular fitness. Stamina in boxing involves considerably more than running, conditioning and spending hours in the gym.
It’s also about efficiency.
Knowing when to attack, when to conserve energy, how to control distance and how to prevent an opponent from forcing unnecessary exchanges.
Fisher frequently looks as though he’s working exceptionally hard to achieve things that more technically accomplished heavyweights manage with considerably less effort.
Every missed power punch costs energy.
Every unnecessary exchange takes something out of the tank.
And every occasion when an opponent forces him backwards makes it harder for him to dictate the contest.
Unless those issues improve, increasing his conditioning alone might not provide the complete solution.
He needs to become a more economical boxer.
His Defensive Awareness Remains a Concern
Another worrying aspect of the Johnny Fisher comeback was how regularly Pirotton managed to find opportunities to land.
Fisher has never been somebody who builds his performances around defensive sophistication.
His appeal comes partly from his willingness to attack, throw heavy punches and engage opponents.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being an aggressive heavyweight.
However, aggression without sufficient defensive responsibility eventually becomes a liability.
We saw that against Allen, and there were further examples against Pirotton.
When Fisher commits to his attacks, he can leave opportunities for opponents to respond. His willingness to exchange also means he sometimes accepts punches that a more measured fighter would attempt to avoid.
That approach can work against opponents who are intimidated by his power.
It becomes considerably more dangerous against somebody who can absorb his punches, remain composed and respond consistently.
And the higher Fisher progresses through the heavyweight division, the more likely he is to encounter opponents capable of doing exactly that.
He doesn’t need to transform himself into a defensive master overnight.
But he does need to develop a better understanding of when to attack, how to protect himself during exchanges and how to regain control when an opponent starts building momentum.
Otherwise, his natural aggression risks becoming something opponents can exploit rather than fear.
Is Johnny Fisher’s Popularity Outpacing His Development?
This is where the conversation becomes particularly interesting.
Fisher is a commercial attraction.
He has an enormous following, an entertaining personality and a connection with supporters that plenty of considerably more accomplished fighters would love to possess.
His association with the famous Bosh Army has helped establish him as one of British boxing’s most recognisable personalities.
And good luck to him.
Boxing is an incredibly difficult business, and anybody capable of building that kind of following deserves to benefit from it.
However, popularity and progression aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Before facing Pirotton, Fisher suggested he was only one or two fights away from reaching the big time.
Watching Saturday’s performance, I struggle to see the evidence supporting that level of progression.
Not because Fisher lacks talent or potential.
But because the weaknesses we’ve been discussing since his encounters with Allen remain clearly visible.
His popularity creates opportunities that his current performances haven’t necessarily demonstrated he’s ready to take.
That’s not his fault.
Promoters understandably recognise his commercial value. Supporters want to watch him, broadcasters appreciate his appeal, and his entertaining fighting style makes him an attractive proposition.
But there’s a danger in allowing commercial momentum to dictate sporting development.
A fighter shouldn’t be pushed towards increasingly demanding opponents simply because his popularity makes those contests financially attractive.
Particularly when he’s already experienced the consequences of being exposed at a level he wasn’t quite ready to handle.
The Johnny Fisher comeback should be about rebuilding the boxer, not simply restoring the attraction.
Those are two very different objectives.
Michael Pirotton Deserves Some Credit Too
It would be unfair to discuss Fisher’s difficulties without acknowledging the performance of Michael Pirotton.
The Belgian didn’t arrive in London to make up the numbers.
He absorbed some significant punishment, fought through a cut around his left eyebrow and continued applying pressure when Fisher began showing signs of fatigue.
He also demonstrated that surviving Fisher’s initial attacks could fundamentally change the contest.
Rather than becoming discouraged by the Englishman’s power, Pirotton continued working and gradually found greater opportunities as the rounds progressed.
That’s precisely what a developing heavyweight needs to experience.
Not every opponent will disappear after absorbing a few powerful combinations.
Not every contest will unfold according to the favourite’s expectations.
And sometimes a fighter needs to discover whether he can adapt when his original approach stops working.
The problem for Fisher is that we’ve seen similar questions raised before.
Pirotton deserves credit for making the contest difficult.
But his resistance shouldn’t become an excuse to overlook Fisher’s shortcomings.
Both things can be true.
What Should Johnny Fisher Do Next?
My concern isn’t that Fisher lost his unbeaten record against Allen.
Plenty of excellent fighters have experienced defeat before rebuilding their careers and achieving considerable success.
The important thing is what happens afterwards.
And I think Fisher needs to resist the temptation to chase another high-profile heavyweight contest simply because the opportunity presents itself.
A rematch with Allen, a domestic showdown against another recognisable British heavyweight or an ambitious step towards world-level opposition might generate attention.
But what would those fights actually achieve if the underlying problems remain unresolved?
I’d much rather see Fisher spend his next few contests concentrating on genuine technical improvement.
He needs to demonstrate that he can control an opponent without constantly relying on power.
That he can manage ten rounds without becoming increasingly vulnerable.
That he can recognise when an opponent is building momentum and make the necessary adjustments.
And perhaps most importantly, that he can win a fight without turning every difficult moment into an exhausting exchange of punches.
There is nothing embarrassing about taking time to develop.
Fisher is still relatively inexperienced in professional boxing, and his first defeat doesn’t mean his ambitions should suddenly disappear.
But rebuilding requires more than accumulating victories.
It requires evidence that something has actually changed.
I would rather watch Fisher develop steadily over the next couple of years than see him rushed into another damaging defeat because everybody involved wants to capitalise on his popularity.
The Johnny Fisher Comeback Needs More Than Another Win
Ultimately, I don’t believe Saturday’s performance was a disaster.
Fisher won, showed determination, landed some excellent punches and demonstrated that he could continue fighting when physically exhausted.
Those are positive qualities.
However, I also don’t believe the performance offered much reassurance about his readiness to progress towards more demanding heavyweight opposition.
His stamina remains questionable, his defensive awareness needs improvement, and his ability to control opponents over ten rounds is still far from convincing.
And those aren’t new observations.
That’s what makes this particularly frustrating.
The Johnny Fisher comeback should have provided an opportunity to demonstrate that the lessons from his defeats and difficult performances had been absorbed.
Instead, we’re discussing many of the same problems.
I genuinely hope Fisher proves me wrong. He’s an entertaining character, a tremendous attraction for British boxing and somebody whose enthusiasm for the sport is difficult not to appreciate.
But boxing doesn’t reward popularity when the punches start landing.
His commercial appeal might already be established, but his development as a serious heavyweight contender remains very much a work in progress.
Johnny Fisher got the victory. Now he needs to demonstrate that he’s becoming a better boxer.
And until that happens, I’m not convinced that moving him towards bigger names is going to end particularly well.
Join the Debate – Has Johnny Fisher Really Improved?
Was Fisher’s victory over Michael Pirotton an encouraging demonstration of resilience, or did it expose the same weaknesses that caused him problems against Dave Allen?
Should he continue rebuilding against carefully selected opponents, or is it time to test himself against more established heavyweights?
I want to hear your thoughts. Share your opinions in the comments and tell me where you think Johnny Fisher goes from here.
For more independent boxing opinions, heavyweight analysis, fighter features and discussion of the biggest issues affecting the sport, visit CMBoxing.
Because there’s always more to boxing than the result.