Jonny Fisher claims Alen Babic was keen to appoint Mark Tibbs as trainer before settling on Pascal Collins.
The 25-year-old Fischer faces the biggest test of his professional career on Saturday at London's Copper Box Arena, where he will face Babić, the aggressive 33-year-old from Croatia.
Trainer Tibs has already said he observed Babic when Fischer was hired to spar with Dillian Whyte and had long recognized Babic as a necessary test for Fischer.
Recently, Babich, fighting for just his second time under Collins, said he could tell Thibs was “anxious” ahead of the heavyweight bout, and when it came to Fisher's turn, Babich insisted he had always wanted to be reunited with the trainer.
“Alen Babich wanted to join our gym a few months ago,” he said. “I don’t know what happened there. [Tibbs] Obviously I didn't say yes, but it's interesting.
“[Tibbs has] I've always dreamed about this fight and I think now is the perfect time to make it happen. I'm confident in myself no matter what, but it only helps if my trainer likes the fight too. If I say, 'I'm going to fight Anthony Joshua,' and my trainer says, 'John, that's a little too early,' that's not a plus, is it? I want someone that my trainer thinks, 'I can beat him.'
“He knows Dillian very well. He obviously knows him well when he was in the gym with Dillian. That's a big advantage. That's bigger than all the other advantages. He's the one who gives me instructions in the ring. He knows what Alen Babich does.”
“There's no substitute for that. Boxing is still an art and it's still about skill. It's not just about crushing your opponent. If that was all it was about I'd be world champion by now, but it's not. You have to use finesse, technique and tactics, and that's what Mark Tibbs does well.”
“He's known by the British public so it's a step up. He's going to take heat in a different way to Harry Armstrong, who was supposed to be a step up. But that's good, because if someone stands in front of me it means I can hit them over the head and that's not a good situation.”
“He's a good fighter, he puts on a hot fight, that's what people want to see. I've fought him on the same card, once here and once at the O2. He'll put on a hot fight, which will be good.”
“I took a quick look. [from ringside] When he was in fight camp [at Matchroom’s premises in Brentwood, Essex]”From what I've seen, he doesn't have the strength to compete against the bigger guys, you know? But he's going to put up a hot fight and I'll be ready.”
Babich's first loss came in April 2023 when he was stopped in the first round by Poland's Lukasz Rozanski at the lesser-rated bridgerweight division.
He then scouted Collins, moved to Dublin to work under the Irishman and was rewarded by beating Steve Robinson in their first ever match in March.
“He's a bridger and cruiser, in my opinion,” Fisher continued. “He's actually not as small as I remember him to be. He's pretty tall.” He said to me, “You're not as big as I remember you,” and I said, “You're not as small as I remember you,” which is probably a good thing and a goal to achieve.
“He could hold his shots better. [at heavyweight]The heavyweight weight he was fighting at was not much different than the Bridgerweight weight. It's neither. I'm just bigger. That should work to my advantage, but making it work to my advantage will depend on how I execute my plan.
“Every match is different, so I don't think too much about it. [and lose inside a round to Lawrence] Okolie is not the same Babich that showed up to fight Babich, and the Babich that showed up to fight me is not the same Babich that fought Babich.
“I don't think about anything. I just think, 'I have to deal with a fighter called Alen Babich.' Whether I'm facing a 6-foot-6 guy or a 6-foot-1 guy, I have to execute my game plan accordingly.”
“That certainly encourages me, but it doesn't cross my mind to think Alen Babich won't be there. I expect Alen Babich to be there. It's going to be a tough 10-round fight, so I have to be prepared for it. But if that guy can knock him out, there's no reason why I can't.”
