Johnny Fisher Grinds Out Majority Decision as Kalajdzic Steals Zuffa Boxing 11
Johnny Fisher won a messy majority decision over Michael Pirotton, but Radivoje Kalajdzic's dominant win over Craig Richards was the real headline.
Zuffa Boxing 11 at the Copper Box Arena in London delivered its main event drama on Saturday, just not the kind Johnny Fisher was hoping for. Fisher won a majority decision over Michael Pirotton in his Zuffa Boxing debut, but it was Radivoje Kalajdzic who left with the statement performance.
Fisher started strong, attacking Pirotton's body with right hands and left hooks through the early rounds. But as the fight wore on, Fisher's pace dropped and Pirotton found a home for his jab. A cut opened near Pirotton's eye and required ringside examination, though he was cleared to continue. The scorecards read 98-92 and 96-95 for Fisher, with one judge scoring it 95-95, per Boxing News 24.
Fisher improved to 15-1 with 12 knockouts, but the heavyweight prospect never found the stoppage he was expected to deliver. Pirotton, now 12-3, was never dropped and pushed hard enough to earn a draw on one card. It was a step backward for Fisher, who switched from Matchroom Boxing to Zuffa after a loss to Dave Allen at the same venue.
The co-feature was far cleaner. Radivoje Kalajdzic dominated Craig Richards over ten rounds at light heavyweight, winning a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring it 97-92. Kalajdzic controlled the fight with superior hand speed and a sharp right hand, then dropped Richards in the closing seconds of the final round for good measure. Kalajdzic improved to 31-3 with 22 knockouts while Richards fell to 20-5-1.
Fisher's move to Zuffa Boxing was supposed to be a fresh start, and this was not the opening statement anyone wanted. He did enough to win, barely, but a majority decision over Pirotton is not going to scare anyone in the heavyweight division. The fact that one judge had it even tells you everything.
Kalajdzic, on the other hand, looked like a fighter ready for a world title shot. He picked Richards apart for ten rounds and then put him on the canvas at the end just to make a point. After knocking out Gvozdyk and now dominating Richards, Hot Rod is building a serious case at 175 pounds.
Zuffa Boxing is still figuring out what it wants to be, but nights like this help. The undercard stole the show from the headliner, which is not ideal for Fisher, but it proves the platform can develop talent worth watching.
