Johnny Fisher vs Alen Babic – Who wins and how?
The likeable Essex boy Johnny Fisher (11-0, 10KO) takes a risky step up against world title contender Alen ‘The Savage’ Babic (12-1, 11KO) this Saturday night, July 6, at the Copper Box Arena in London.
This pair share a lot of similarities in that they are both very popular and well received by the British public. This is partly due to their personas, but mostly down to their exciting styles where they each have KO ratios above 90%, having KO’d all but one of their victims.
Babic has just the one sole defeat on his professional record, when he stepped up challenge for the WBC World bridgerweight title in April 2023.
The KO kings were slugging it out in the corner within 10 seconds of the opening round. Back in the centre of the ring, Babic got caught with three successive left hands, then another big left after a break. Then a short left hook to the chin downed ‘The Savage’ midway through the opener.
Rozanski didn’t let him off for a single second and delivered around 20 unanswered punches as Babic stumbled around the ring into the ropes, before referee Jose Garcia stopped the fight at 2:10.
Babic bounced back to dominate and defeat Briton Steve Robinson in March on the undercard of Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke.
Despite possessing a winning record, ‘Drago’ is better described as a journeyman. He was eating the Croatian’s uppercuts and hooks all fight long, until referee Sean McAvoy said that’s enough and stopped the fight without any knockdowns. The 6ft 7in Newcastle man had just taken too many clean shots and, despite the protestations, it was absolutely the right call.
Trained by Mark Tibbs, Johnny Fisher has so far beaten everyone placed in front of him and was suitably named Best Young Boxer of the Year 2023.
He won his first professional title in August last year against Harry Armstrong. It was an impressive performance, especially the start of the contest, where ‘The Romford Bull’ landed one jab in the first five seconds so fast, strong and accurate, straight through the middle of the guard, that it wobbled ‘Dirty Harry’ and sent him staggering back into the corner. Fisher threw the kitchen sink at him until his man was down in the first 10 seconds of the 10-round fight.
He knocked Harry down again in the fifth, but the ropes kept him up, but it was all over in round seven after he landed several hellacious big looping overhand rights to cut Armstrong’s eye and force his corner to throw in the towel.
In the Southern Area heavyweight champion’s last fight, he destroyed Ukraine’s Dymtro Bezus within one round on Conor Benn’s undercard in Las Vegas.
So, what happens when a ‘Bull’ charges at a ‘Savage’? With 21 shared knockouts from 23 victories, it seems a foregone conclusion that the final bell will not be needed for this headlining clash in the capital.
Betting Odds
Fisher 2/9
Babic 10/3
Draw 22/1
Predictions
Fisher’s shots are snappy, rangy and powerful. Babic also carries power, but he has to be within close to mid-range to land his hooks and uppercuts.
If Fisher is able to keep the fight long and up at the high pace and pressure he likes to set, then he could assume control of the contest from the outside.
For me, Fisher is the more skilful, all-round quality operator, with Babic a bit more of a one-trick pony only able to land big shots in close. Both can finish off a fight when they smell blood, so if either one lands heavily, then it’s likely to be concluded very soon after.
I predict Johnny Fisher to win early, within three rounds.