Johnny Fisher is under no illusions about his place in boxing’s latest civil war between Dana White’s Zuffa promotional stable and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
“Of course, I’m a pawn [in the White-Hearn feud],” Fisher admitted candidly this week on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show.”
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The promotional rivals have been at odds since TKO’s Zuffa Boxing entered the sport late last year. Zuffa’s poaching of British star Conor Benn from Hearn’s stable in February was as clear of a declaration of intent as one could make.
Hearn responded by attacking one of TKO’s primary businesses, UFC, and embarking on a signing spree for his Matchoom Talent Agency that has already included UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and upcoming welterweight title challenger Ian Machado Garry.
On Monday, Zuffa struck back, with popular UK heavyweight Fisher (14-1, 12 KOs) becoming the latest fighter from Hearn’s stable to switch allegiances on a one-fight deal.
“Of course, I’m a player in the game of boxing, in heavyweight boxing,” Fisher said. “Anyone that can fill up an arena is going to have a value to Eddie Hearn, to Dana White, or any promoter in the game. I’m not stupid, I’m not deluded. But that’s also an indicator that they want to be in business with me. I’m only useful to any promoter while I sell tickets or I’m winning.
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“If either of them stops or both of them stop — Zuffa, Matchroom, Queensberry, Ben Shalom, whoever it is — no one wants to know me. That’s the nature of the game we’re in. And I’ve got no qualms with that because people are trying to run businesses here.”
Hearn’s and Fisher’s five-year working relationship came to an end in May after the boxer’s most recent contract expired. Fisher chose not to immediately re-sign with Matchroom and instead explored the market — a decision that proved to be very lucrative.
“That is an accurate number,” Fisher said of reports that Zuffa’s offer to him was six-and-a-half times larger than Matchroom’s offer. “Without going into the actual nitty-gritty of numbers, that was what they were offering me. I’m actually being offered double or triple what I would have been offered to fight someone for a British title under Eddie.”
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With his Zuffa deal being a one-fight agreement, it won’t be long before the British heavyweight is back on the market, looking for his next contract. To maximize his position, Fisher knows he must impress both in the ring and at the box office when he headlines Zuffa Boxing 11 on Sept. 26 at London’s Copper Box Arena.
“It’s an amazing deal. If I’m being honest, it’s fantastic, it’s beautiful,” he said. “Listen, we all need money, we all need to earn a living. But I was asked this question today, they were saying, ‘You must feel amazing, you must feel great.’ Well, yeah, it feels amazing, but I know there’s work ahead of me to do. I’ve got to go and earn that now.
“I’ve got to go and show Zuffa what the best version of ‘The Romford Bull’ is, which is explosive, which does bring a massive crowd.”
An opponent for Fisher’s September fight has yet to be announced.
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