From Selling Meat To Heavyweight Prospect: The Unlikely Rise Of Johnny Fisher Jr
Johnny Fisher Jr. will compete in his first headline bout this Saturday when he faces Alen Babic in an intriguing heavyweight showdown in London, England.
‘The Romford Bull’ (11-0-0 10 KO) takes an unbeaten record into the bout at the Copper Box Arena and will face unquestionably his toughest test to date against the former bridgerweight world title challenger.
Fisher’s route to professional boxing is quite unlike any other, and despite being a relative novice, he has already built a large and loyal fanbase that follows him wherever he fights.
So, ahead of his bout with Babic on Saturday, here is everything you need to know about Johnny Fisher Jr.
Fisher Rekindled Love Of Boxing At University
A multi-talented athlete as a child, Fisher boxed alongside competing in several other sports, including rugby, but lost interest in his later teens. It wasn’t until his second year of university – an unusual path for many fighters – that he laced his gloves up again after getting the opportunity to spar with Joe Joyce.
From that moment, Fisher and Joyce became close friends, and the ‘Juggernaut’ included the young fighter as a sparring partner for his British heavyweight showdown against Daniel Dubois.
Having rekindled his love of boxing and after completing his university degree, Fisher briefly entered the amateur scene, securing nine first-round knockout wins and 10 victories.
He turned professional in February 2021 on the Josh Kelly vs David Avanesyan undercard and has since amassed an 11-fight win streak, getting taken the distance only once, in a six-rounder.
Fisher competed in his first 10-round bout in August 2023 and sent opponent Harry Armstrong to the canvas inside the opening 10 seconds. He eventually secured a seventh-round stoppage to win his first title, the British Southern Area heavyweight belt.
His most recent bout was a first-round knockout of Dmytro Bezus in Las Vegas in February, where more than 200 fans made the trip to Nevada to support their man.
Fisher’s Father Is An Unexpected Social Media Star
Fisher’s rapidly growing fanbase is thanks in large part to his father, John Sr., becoming an unlikely social media star.
The family had a thriving business selling cheese to restaurants and kitchens across the United Kingdom, but the pandemic had a hugely negative impact and they lost all of their customers.
To make ends meet, the Fishers went door to door selling meat while at the same time John Sr. created a TikTok account where he regularly reviews Chinese food and discusses his love of soccer team Luton Town.
John Sr., who signs off his videos with the catchphrase “bosh”, quickly built a following as huge as his appetite with more than a million followers across all channels. That following spilled over into John Jr.’s boxing career and the Romford Bull now has a loyal legion of supporters.
So loyal, in fact, that more than 200 fans traveled to Las Vegas for his recent fight against Bezus, and thousands more will turn out for the biggest fight of his career on Saturday.
“What we’ve established is a dream,” Fisher Jr. said. “Three or four years ago my business was in a lot of trouble, all of our customer base, all of the restaurants closed down.
“We were selling cheese to restaurants and kitchens and suddenly that stopped and we had to go door-to-door selling meat to people on their doorsteps out of a van. We just had to turn money over, we weren’t making a penny of profit, just staying afloat.
“My dad has obviously helped more than enough for selling tickets. The celebrity he has become is a massive help. But it was great before when I was selling tickets in venues like Ally Pally and the O2 back in 2021. Big John has only added to that and long may it continue.”
What Is Fisher’s Fighting Style?
In one word: strength. Before he had even made his pro debut, Joyce described Fisher as a harder puncher than Dubois, who now holds the IBF heavyweight world title and will fight Anthony Joshua in his first defense in September.
“I spoke to Joe after and he said it. To have a compliment like this gives me great confidence because Dubois is a great fighter and if I can emulate what he has done, I would be a very happy man,” Fisher told Sky Sports in January 2021 ahead of his debut.
Yet, despite his relative lack of experience, Fisher has received an excellent boxing education. As well as regularly sparring with Joyce, the 25-year-old has shared the ring with the likes of Dave Allen and Hughie Fury, and is trained by accomplished trainer Mark Tibbs, who worked with Dillian Whyte, Billy Joe Saunders, and many more high-level British fighters.
How Far Can Fisher Go?
With Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury operating at the pinnacle of the heavyweight division, there is always plenty of hype and excitement when a new big man emerges from the UK.
First and foremost, Fisher needs to beat Babic by any means necessary, but if he can secure the knockout, it should provide a clearer indication of where his talent could take him in the coming years.
That Fisher already has a large and loyal following will massively work in his favor. It will open doors to bigger domestic fights when he’s ready to take them, with promoters Matchroom aware that his celebrity will help sell shows.
