Zuffa Boxing founder Dana White believes heavyweight contender Johnny Fisher is poised to reach an entirely new level when he steps back into the squared circle for his next bout.
Fisher officially marked his debut under the Zuffa Boxing banner back in September, navigating a grueling and physically draining 10-round battle against Michael Pirotton. While the contest tested the British fighter’s endurance to its absolute limits, Fisher ultimately dug deep to secure the victory, leaving a lasting impression on his promoter in the process.
Reflecting on that initial outing, White praised Fisher’s competitive spirit while acknowledging the minor conditioning hurdles the heavyweight encountered down the stretch. "He looked good until he started gassing out in the last couple of rounds. But he fought through it, won the fight and I’m excited to see him fight again," White told Sky Sports. "He’s fun, the crowd is fun, his family are good, fun people and I love having him a part of Zuffa Boxing."
Fisher has built a massive and devoted following on social media, where he is affectionately known as much for his charismatic personality and self-confessed love of Chinese takeout as he is for his heavy hands inside the ring. However, if the rising star is to fulfill his ultimate championship potential on the global stage, fine-tuning his athletic conditioning will be paramount. Recognizing this area for growth, White has extended a direct invitation to the British heavyweight, urging him to utilize the state-of-the-art facilities at the UFC’s Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
"I have seen something where he said he overtrained for the fight, which is a possibility. I don’t know, only he knows. But he should absolutely positively come out to Las Vegas and spend some time at the PI," White said. "All the fighters should. It’s incredible. It’s an unbelievable amenity you get being a part of our company. He should do that."
White remains fully confident that the experience gained from weathering the storm against Pirotton will serve as an invaluable catalyst for Fisher’s development. Rather than viewing the late-fight fatigue as a purely negative indicator, the promoter sees it as a vital character-building milestone that will pay dividends in future camps.
"He didn’t look terrible. He gassed out there. But I tell you what I really liked about it, when you see a guy gas like he did and you push yourself through, you don’t quit and you make it through that, it just takes you to another level for your next fight," White explained.
"Mentally now he knows what he did. Did he overtrain, did he not train enough? He knows and now he knows what he needs to fix coming into his next fight so it’ll be exciting to see what tweaks he makes in his training for his next fight."
Who’s next?
As Fisher plots his next career move, a series of compelling and high-profile options are beginning to materialize on the horizon. The heavyweight landscape is taking notice of his rising stock, evidenced by domestic rival Dillian Whyte watching closely from ringside at the Copper Box Arena during Fisher’s last outing, alongside former world champion Charles Martin, who has openly expressed a willingness to step into the ring with the Briton.
Martin’s manager, Mike Borao, confirmed the former titleholder’s interest in a potential UK showdown while speaking to Sky Sports. "He’s had an amazing career and became IBF heavyweight champion. He wants one more big opportunity," Borao said.
Martin, who famously faced Anthony Joshua at London’s O2 Arena back in 2016, is actively plotting another campaign on British soil. Elaborating on their plans for the future, Borao added: "Possible opponents Johnny Fisher, Dillian Whyte or perhaps another UK fighter. We will have to see what happens but Charles is going to make one more big push."
With a prominent promotional home, high-profile names circling for potential bouts, and the prospect of elite-level training resources in Las Vegas waiting for him, Johnny Fisher stands at an exciting crossroads in his burgeoning professional boxing career.
