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The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Who are the ‘Bosh Soldiers' of the ‘Romford Bull Army' led by Big John, the viral supporters of Johnny Fisher?
Johnny Fisher, 13-0 (11), returns to action this evening, facing fellow British heavyweight Dave Allen, 23-7-2 (18), in a rematch that is headlining a night of boxing at the Copper Box Arena. An unbeaten prospect with hopes of becoming a household name for his boxing skills, Fisher is better known for his relation to viral internet sensation, Big John. Big John will be in attendance, leading the Bosh soldiers of the Romford Bull Army. Confused by those terms? Let us explain. Who is Big John? Boxers often have their family in their corner, sometimes literally, and Fisher is no different. Formerly a boxer himself, albeit at an amateur level, John Fisher has travelled to the USA and Saudi Arabia in support of his son. Arguably more well-known than his son, Big John has carved out a niche on social media as an internet sensation. Across various accounts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, Big John has amassed over a million followers Big John has created a following based on his large appetite and trademark saying of 'bosh', leading to his fans being referred to as the 'Bosh Army'. A connoisseur of Chinese takeaways, Big John and Fisher have been spotted sharing some chicken balls to celebrate a win for the Romford Bull in the past. Big John picked up 'bosh' from his friend and fellow Romford personality Tom Skinner. His son has also utilised the term, referring to tonight's venue as the Copper 'Bosh' Arena. Who are the Romford Bull Army? Whilst Big John has his own Bosh Army, his son's supporters are named the 'Romford Bull Army'. There is overlap between the two, with members of the Romford Bull Army labelled 'Bosh Soldiers' by Big John, who has stylised himself as the group's leader. Fisher's supporters named themselves after their favourite fighter's nickname, a term given to the Essex-born heavyweight when he was sparring in Las Vegas. American trainers were impressed with his style, stating that he fought like a bull. Raised in Romford, Fisher added his hometown to the descriptor to create his new moniker. Partly thanks to their viral leader, Big John, the Romford Bull Army have a healthy presence on social media, with 15,000 followers on Instagram. Other famous members include Ethan Payne, a YouTuber better known as Behzinga, who is part of the Sidemen, a group of YouTubers with 22m followers. On their Instagram account, the Romford Bull Army shows plenty of support for their man, selling merchandise and organising watch parties for Fisher's fights. The Romford Bull Army travel well, having supported Fisher out in Las Vegas and Riyadh, but they will not have far to travel to east London this evening. Fisher's supporters were in full voice during Friday's press conference, indicating that he will have quite a few fans in attendance when he faces Dave Allen.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Fisher-Allen II: Three other controversial matches that led to return bouts
This Saturday will see a rematch between Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen when the pair meet at the Copper Box Arena in London. After first meeting at the end of last year in Riyadh, the pair went to a ten-round split decision that ended in a win for Fisher. Despite – or, maybe, because of – the victory, controversy rose around the scoring. While one judge thought that Fisher had lost by three points, the two others gave it to him by a single notch each. There was a good argument for Fisher having lost. He was knocked down in the fifth round, went toe-to-toe with Allen for much of the fight, and looked at the end as if every second in the bout had been an arduous one. And now, this weekend, the pair meet again. Judgement is a matter of shades. Controversy within boxing is not unusual. It is far more the rule than the exception, with many fights over the years generating such controversy first time around that a rematch has become immediately imminent. Corrales-Castillo When Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo met in 2005, few were excited by their lightweight unification. Corrales was 39-2 (32) and was coming in after tough fights against Joel Casamayor and Acelino Freitas. Castillo, meanwhile, had also taken a split decision over Casamayor. He had beaten the decent Juan Lazcano, too, and stopped Julio Diaz in ten. But Castillo was most famous for pushing Floyd Mayweather Jr to a decision in 2002 in a bout that many thought he had won. Magic entered the building at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that night when Corrales and Castillo met. They pair went toe-to-toe for ten rounds until Castillo put Corrales down, twice, on the floor. In pain, Corrales let his gumshield slip from his mouth during the first knockdown. He spat it out deliberately on the second and lost a point. His coach, placing it back into his mouth, said, 'You better ****ing get inside on him now.' Corrales did. Fewer than thirty seconds later, he pitched Castillo against the ropes and punched him until the referee stopped it. The pair of them returned five months later, but Castillo missed the weight limit by 3.5lbs. The fight went ahead anyway, and a weight-drained Corrales was knocked out in the fourth. A third fight between the pair was set to end the controversy, but was cancelled after Castillo missed the weight again, that time by 4.5lbs. Huck-Arslan The pair first met in 2012 in Halle, Germany, where Huck, the WBO cruiserweight champion, won a unanimous decision over former WBA champion Arslan. Despite the wide scorecards, the decision was controversial and the pair rematched fourteen months later in Stuttgart. This time, Huck left no doubt by stopping Arslan in six rounds. Both men are still fighting many years later. Huck, now 40, last appeared in a boxing ring last June in Berlin. Arslan, now 54, last fought in a small show in his gym in Goeppingen, Germany, in October. But while they have not appeared against each other for a third time, they are often pictured together at shows, having seemingly become friends years after their two fights. Abraham-Smith When Liverpool fighter Paul Smith went to Kiel, Germany, in 2014, few expected him to be anything more than a foil for the German super-middleweight Arthur Abraham. Abraham had been fighting in Germany since 2003, only ever lost decisively to elite fighters when on foreign soil, and had been matched carefully by his promoters for years. Smith expected much different of himself. His family and friends spoke of how dedicated he had been in his training, and of how had left no stone unturned. It sounded like hyperbole, the words that all supporters say before a big fight. But then Smith outworked and outmanoeuvred Abraham over twelve, tightly contested rounds. The only thing Smith did not do was outpoint Abraham, losing a unanimous decision. Such was the controversy over the result that the pair met again, five months later in Berlin and in front of a much-bigger crowd. This time, though, Abraham seemed to be better prepared and he took another decision – this one now thought to be much fairer.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Who is Dave Allen? Background, Fight record, next fight and more
Dave Allen is set to have an immediate rematch with Jonny Fisher at the Copper Box Arena on 15 May. Allen lost to Fisher in their first fight in a highly debated spit decision last year in Saudi Arabia . The Doncaster man dropped Fisher last time out and he will be looking to set the record straight and avenge a fight he believes he won. Here is everything you need to know about Allen. Total fights: 32 Total rounds: 139 Height: 6' 3' Reach: 73' History Allen had a short-lived amateur career, only amassing ten fights before turning over in 2012. The Doncaster man went undefeated through his first ten fights before taking a big step-up in level to challenge Dillian Whyte for the WBC International heavyweight title in 2016. Allen had not even fought for an area title and Whyte was considered as a contender at world title level after coming off a loss to Anthony Joshua. Losing by a unanimous decision, Allen could feel no shame from taking such a challenging fight at only 24. In his very next fight, Allen lost by stoppage to the undefeated Luis Ortiz, who would go on to challenge for a world title. Although he lost, Allen showed he was more than capable of competing at that level. Allen would rebuild and challenge twice for the Commonwealth title, falling short on both occasions due to a split decision loss and technical draw both against Lenroy Thomas. Marred by gambling issues and a self-diagnosed lack of discipline, Allen showed moments of brilliance but often fell short in his biggest opportunities. After a stoppage loss to Tony Yoka in 2018, three wins led Allen to his toughest test – the former WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Browne. A left hook to the body dropped Browne, who was past his best, and put the Doncaster native back in contention for a big fight. A loss to David Price followed and Allen briefly retired in 2020 but returned the ring a year later, before being called in to lend his experience to rising star Frazer Clarke in 2023 who forced Allen to retire in the sixth round. Still only 33-years-old, and with the rematch with Fisher on the Horizon, Allen will be hoping to right the wrongs of the first fight and prove he is not done with boxing yet.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Footage shows Johnny Fisher tearful in locker room after KO by Dave Allen
Johnny Fisher spoke tearfully in his locker room after his loss to Dave Allen on Saturday, as the 'Romford Bull' discussed the true nature of 'fighting spirit'. Allen dropped Fisher twice in round five, with the second knockdown occurring on the bell and the towel coming in at the same time. Regardless, Fisher was down and out as he suffered his first professional loss. In December, the 26-year-old won a controversial decision against his friend Allen, 33, in Saudi Arabia. But at London's Copper Box Arena on Saturday, Allen left no doubt. Reacting to the result, Fisher said in his locker room: 'You forget, five years ago we had no money, we had nothing. My dad's business, he owed £350,000. We had to work to get it off. 'That's what a real fighter is. What I do in there, that's nothing compared to what my dad done, and yeah, that's where I get my fighting spirit from – because my dad's strong. My grandad was strong. 'And I'll be back, and I will get up every single time. I'll be back. I'm upset now, but I'm all good. It's alright to cry if you're a man. Try and do it in private, not like me right now, but f******g... 'We're strong, and the main thing is: I've got all these people around me that believe in me.' Allen's victory saw him claim the WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight title, his first belt as a professional. In the ring after defeating Fisher, the 'White Rhino' said: 'I knew the first fight did me a world of good. I put a bit of weight on, I knew it would pay dividends, took the risk. I'm the fattest, hardest man you'll ever see. 'You know what it means? The belt, everything... My kids yeah... I'm gonna have an en suite, they'll have their own bathroom between them. 'At this level, I'm a handful. He overexaggerated the movement, which worked against him. I've got experience, I know the game inside-out. I'm him, but with 30 more fights basically. 'He's my friend. He's a very good friend of mine. I wouldn't allow [a trilogy fight] to happen, because it's not in his best interests.'
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Johnny Fisher suffers nightmare knockout by Dave Allen as score is settled in rematch
Johnny Fisher was stopped by David Allen in the fifth round of their hotly anticipated rematch at London's Copper Box Arena on Saturday. The pair met on home soil to settle the score, after a controversial result five months ago saw the scorecards declare Fisher the winner in Riyadh. In their first clash, Fisher emerged victorious on two of the judges' scorecards with tight margins of 95-94. The third judge scored it 96-93 in favour of Allen, underlining just how closely matched the two heavyweights were that night. History repeated itself as Allen delivered a knockdown yet again in the fifth round – two this time, in fact. But, unlike the first time out, Fisher was put down for good on this occasion, as the second knockdown proved decisive right on the bell. The arena floor was bouncing as Fisher was announced in the ring, and as the bout played out, the 'Romford Bull Army' continued to echo Fisher's name around the venue. Fisher, who was pegged as the favourite to win, was doubling up on shots in the second round as he landed uppercuts to Allen's body, but he was soon warned for tapping Allen on the head. Allen came back with some jab action, but the 33-year-old wasn't bringing speed as his 26-year-old opponent was. From the corner, before round three, Allen told coach Jamie Moore, 'I'll be quicker,' before finding himself up against the ropes. Yet it was largely the 'White Rhino' fighting on the front foot. Fisher looked like he was hurting Allen with numerous body shots, but during the fourth round his promise to Moore rang true, as Allen landed his first clean shot to the top of Fisher's head. The fighters took opportunities thereafter, the bout intensifying as a left hook to the body landed for Allen and a right hook to the head landed for Fisher. The gruelling bout ultimately ended in round five, with a ferocious left hook sealing victory for Allen, who was left hungry for a win after the nature of his defeat in Saudi Arabia. Fisher could just not find his feet after the swift first knockdown in the fifth, and the second knockdown – on the bell, as the towel came in – proved decisive. With that, the result was not so controversial this time around. Allen refrained from celebrating, despite breaking his opponent's unbeaten record, as paramedics immediately entered the ring to check on Fisher. Fisher was thankfully fine after some minutes, and the friends shared an embrace as the arena waited for Allen to receive his first title: the WBA Intercontinental heavyweight belt.
