The reaction reflects the expectations Zuffa created when signing Fisher last month. Supporters anticipated an opponent capable of testing him following two punishing bouts with David Allen. Instead, Pirotton arrives with minimal name recognition and a modest résumé.
Most of Pirotton’s career has taken place in Belgium, along with a brief US stint. He dropped a six-round decision to Piotr Lacz last year before exiting the WBC Grand Prix on points against Kevin Ramirez.
Those results leave supporters questioning the decision to give Fisher’s promotional debut top billing. Zuffa has provided him with a soft landing, but advertising the fight as the headline attraction invites criticism.
Careful rebuilding remains necessary after Allen stopped him in the fifth round at the Copper Box in May 2025. Their initial bout produced a disputed split decision for Fisher, despite Allen landing many of the cleaner, harder punches.
His December return ended with a fourth-round stoppage of Ivan Balaz. Balaz offered little resistance, making Pirotton the second carefully selected foe lined up for the Romford heavyweight since the knockout defeat.
Both Allen fights exposed defensive flaws that must be corrected before any world-title ambitions become realistic. Fisher was too easy to hit, remained vulnerable under pressure and failed to protect himself once hurt.
The larger question concerns how many rebuilding fights Zuffa will finance before demanding tougher opposition. Fisher’s knockout loss last year showed that he remains light-years away from handling top-15 heavyweight contenders. Michael Pirotton gives him time to develop, but Zuffa will eventually want more from one of its most heavily promoted British signings.
Zuffa can point to Pirotton never having been dropped. Standing 6-foot-5 with an 82-inch reach, the Belgian gives Fisher a tall opponent who may provide several useful rounds. His durability alone hardly justifies a headline slot.
The 27-year-old defended the matchmaking in an interview with Sky Sports:
“It’s a golden ticket for Michael Pirotton, but it’s also my golden ticket because if I win, I get to go on to bigger and better things. I’ve got ambitions in this game.”
The fight launches Fisher’s Zuffa contract at the scene of the Allen knockout. The online mockery remains justified. Zuffa signed one of Britain’s most popular heavyweights, yet delivered Michael Pirotton as his first main-event opponent.
