Zuffa Boxing 11 delivered an entertaining night of professional boxing on Saturday, September 26, from the Copper Box Arena in London, with Johnny Fisher, Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic and several other fighters turning in memorable performances. (UFC)
Fisher Survives Pirotton in Grueling Main Event
The headline fight between Johnny “The Romford Bull” Fisher and Belgium’s Michael Pirotton lived up to its billing.
Fisher earned a majority decision after 10 hard-fought rounds, with the judges scoring the bout 98-92, 96-95 and 95-95. (UFC)
Fisher landed the bigger and more explosive punches throughout much of the fight, including heavy work to the body. He also opened a cut over Pirotton’s left eye that required several checks from the ringside doctor.
But Pirotton refused to fold.
The Belgian heavyweight repeatedly walked forward, attacked Fisher’s body and found success whenever he was able to force Fisher to fight while moving backward. The pace eventually took a toll on both men, but neither stopped throwing.
Fisher ultimately did enough to secure the decision and improved to 15-1 as a professional. (CBS Sports)
The physical toll was obvious afterward, as Fisher needed assistance recovering at ringside and did not conduct his scheduled post-fight interview. (Yahoo Sports)
Kalajdzic Wins Another Tough Battle
The co-main event featured Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic against Craig Richards in a light heavyweight contest.
Kalajdzic came away with a unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 97-92. (UFC Brasil)
Richards had moments during the contest, but Kalajdzic’s pressure and overall work were enough to earn him the victory.
His performance also earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. (UFC)
Leo Ruiz Keeps Winning
Leo Ruiz continued his successful run with Zuffa Boxing, defeating previously unbeaten Cesar Mateo Tapia by unanimous decision.
The judges scored the fight 97-93, 96-94 and 96-94.
Ruiz’s inside work was particularly effective. He consistently attacked the body and gradually slowed Tapia’s pace as the fight progressed. The victory moved Ruiz to 18-1. (UFC)
Kayla Allen Makes History
Another important moment came when Kayla Allen, Zuffa Boxing’s first female signing, made her professional debut against Edina Kiss.
Allen wasted little time making an impression, stopping Kiss by third-round TKO at 2:00. (UFC Brasil)
It was a memorable introduction for Allen and an important milestone for Zuffa Boxing’s developing women’s division.
MacMillan Scores Another Stoppage
Alex MacMillan also delivered one of the night’s quicker finishes.
MacMillan stopped Guillaume Azagier by TKO just 32 seconds into the second round, earning his second consecutive second-round stoppage under the Zuffa Boxing banner. (UFC)
Romero vs. Ignat Steals the Show
The cruiserweight matchup between Rogelio Romero and Aurel Ignat was awarded Fight of the Night.
Romero eventually stopped Ignat by third-round TKO at 2:12. (UFC)
The finish came after a fast-paced fight that saw both men have their moments. Romero ultimately found the opening he needed and secured the stoppage.
Final Thoughts
Zuffa Boxing 11 delivered a card built around toughness rather than easy victories.
Fisher’s main-event win was especially notable because Pirotton refused to make things comfortable. The fight went the full 10 rounds and forced Fisher to work through fatigue and sustained pressure.
Kalajdzic also earned a hard-fought victory, while Ruiz continued building momentum, Allen made an impressive professional debut and Romero-Ignat produced the night’s Fight of the Night.
Zuffa Boxing 11 Results — Main Card:
- Johnny Fisher def. Michael Pirotton — Majority Decision
- Radivoje Kalajdzic def. Craig Richards — Unanimous Decision
- Lee Cutler def. Louis Greene — Unanimous Decision
- Kayla Allen def. Edina Kiss — TKO, Round 3
- Leo Ruiz def. Cesar Mateo Tapia — Unanimous Decision
- Alex MacMillan def. Guillaume Azagier — TKO, Round 2 (UFC Brasil)
Bottom line: Zuffa Boxing 11 gave fans a legitimate night of competitive boxing, capped by Fisher’s exhausting 10-round battle with Pirotton. The London event also provided several fighters with momentum as Zuffa continues building its boxing roster.
