John Fraser Intends to Impress at Score FS Battle to Declare Canada’s Best Bantamweight

Having not fought since last December, Canadian bantamweight John “Haggis Basher” Fraser is understandably frustrated with the fact he’s been inactive so long, but there is some reasoning for it.

As Fraser explains, he’s been waiting to get his oft-delayed fight with up-and-comer Josh Hill to come to fruition.

“I was supposed to originally fight June 3 for this bout, so I’ve been training for it since April, but it’s gotten postponed over and over again,” said Fraser. “So I’ve just been training and working on everything and building up every aspect of my game.

“It’s been a long time (coming), but the fight’s finally going to happen.”

While Fraser’s match-up with Hill has been long talked about in Canada, it’s not necessarily the fight that he wanted.

“I would have taken another fight if there was another offer in Canada,” said Fraser. “I’ve trained with Josh before and we’re kind of both at the same level to where I feel we’re about to make the jump to the bigger show and I actually wasn’t pushing for this fight.

“I would have rather just fought another American or someone out of Western Canada. I would have rather seen us fight other people and move up. It seems like this is what Score (Fighting Series) wanted and what the fans wanted, so I was willing to go ahead and do it.”

With the fight finally slated to happen at Score FS: Hill vs. Fraser on Saturday night in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Fraser was asked how he feels the two match up in light of how parallel their careers are running.

“We’re both two guys who like to push the pace the whole fight, (but) I feel I’ve got an advantage everywhere on him,” said Fraser. “I know a lot of people are saying he’s going to out-wrestle me, but I don’t believe he will. I think I can beat him striking, wrestling, and if he takes me down, I’ll be able to tap him out.

“The only thing he’s got on me is that he’s younger.”

For the 34-year-old Fraser, this fight could very well be the one to push his career to the next level.

“I’ve tapped out my last seven guys and it really hasn’t gotten noticed, so I need to go out there and hit him with a big knockout,” said Fraser. “I think that will get the notice of some bigger shows.

“I’m getting to the point of where it will happen when it happens. I can’t worry about something like that. I’ve just got to keep fighting, and the bigger shows will decide when they decide.”

If somehow Fraser continues to get overlooked, he says he’ll just stick to his guns, regardless.

“I could win 10 more fights and they still might not take me on, so I’ve just got to keep fighting,” he said. “I feel every fight of mine is exciting, so I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing and loving it.”