- Johnny Fisher says there is a "good chance" he fights Dillian Whyte next, calling it an honour, and admits he has been asked all week about Deontay Wilder
- British heavyweight champion Richard Riakporhe has publicly offered Fisher a shot at his Lonsdale belt if he beats Michael Pirotton on Saturday
- Pirotton, never dropped or stopped, calls Fisher the "money cow" and says he will be the matador at the Copper Box on September 26
The Romford Bull Is Already Looking Past Saturday
Right then. Johnny Fisher has not thrown a punch at the Copper Box yet and the next-fight conversation is already in full swing. Speaking to Sky Sports on Thursday, Fisher said there is a "good chance" his next opponent is Dillian Whyte, and he did not hide how much that one would mean to him.
Fisher called it an honour, said Whyte was someone he looked up to coming through, and pointed out the obvious business logic: Whyte and Deontay Wilder are coming towards the end of their careers, both still carry big names, and Johnny Fisher carries a big ticket-selling fanbase. That is a fight that sells itself in London.
On Wilder, Fisher was careful. He said he has had people talking to him about it all week, that he would never call out a man of that level himself, but that a 17-and-a-half stone heavyweight landing clean on anybody's chin always has a chance. Fair enough. Nobody is turning that money down.
Riakporhe Has Put The Lonsdale Belt On The Table
Then there is the other offer. Richard Riakporhe, the British heavyweight champion and a former world title challenger at cruiserweight, told Sky Sports he would welcome Johnny Fisher as a challenger if the Romford man gets through Saturday. He called Fisher respectful, likeable, a big puncher and "strong like an ox", and said he would be cheering him on this weekend.
Let's not beat around the bush, though. Riakporhe was also clear his eyes are on the world title scene. He is looking at the belts and he rates himself as one of the heaviest hitters in the division. Offering Fisher a defence is a nice gesture and a good payday. It is not a man who thinks he is in any danger.
Which One Should Fisher Take?
If I am in Johnny Fisher's corner, I take the Whyte fight every day of the week over Riakporhe. Whyte at this stage of his career is a big name with miles on the clock. Riakporhe is younger, fresher, and hits as hard as anybody Fisher has ever shared a ring with. The British title is the prettier belt, but it is the far more dangerous fight.
Michael Pirotton Has Heard All Of This
And that is exactly the problem for Fisher this week. Michael Pirotton has been reading along. The Belgian told Sky Sports he is "nobody in boxing", that everyone expects him to lose, and that is his only advantage. He called Fisher "the money cow", said the pressure sits entirely on the home fighter's shoulders, and described Saturday as a bull against a matador.
He also reminded everyone he has never been dropped or stopped, and said Johnny Fisher cannot knock him out. That is the line that matters. Fisher is a front-foot, combination-punching heavyweight, and he has been working with new trainer Tony Sims to add a bit more craft to it without losing the aggression. If Pirotton genuinely takes the shots, Fisher is going to have to show the new bits for longer than he would like.
The Verdict
Make no mistake, I think Johnny Fisher wins on Saturday. He is bigger, he is stronger, and the Copper Box crowd will be behind him from the first bell. I am going for Fisher by stoppage in the middle rounds, somewhere between five and seven, once the body work starts to tell on a man who has spent all week promising he cannot be hurt.
But talking about Whyte and Riakporhe before the job is done is how upsets start. If you know, you know. Fisher needs to beat the man in front of him first, and he needs to do it convincingly, because a scrappy points win against Pirotton makes both of those offers look a lot less generous by Monday morning.