Johnny Fisher will make his Zuffa Boxing debut against Michael Pirotton on September 26 at London’s Copper Box Arena, but the matchmaking has already drawn criticism.
Fisher reportedly received an offer from Zuffa worth six to eight times more than Matchroom was prepared to pay. Eddie Hearn publicly acknowledged that Matchroom could not compete with the deal.
However, Pirotton is currently ranked No. 145 by BoxRec and has never fought beyond eight rounds. Both of his defeats came on points, while his most recent win was against Jiovani Sheik, who entered with a (1-1) record.
Questions around Fisher remain after his two fights with Dave Allen. Fisher won their first meeting by controversial split decision before being stopped in the fifth round of the rematch.
The criticism is therefore focused on whether Pirotton represents a meaningful test for Fisher after Zuffa made such a significant financial investment in the British heavyweight.
Fisher’s commercial appeal is considerable, with both he and his father commanding large social-media audiences. The bigger question is whether his results inside the ring can eventually justify that investment.
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