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Does Dave Allen belong at British level before Filip Hrgovic test?
Dave Allen would be the first fighter in the room to tell you that he's not the best on the block. Indeed, he's made a sideline out of it.
'The White Rhino' has earned his status as a cult favourite in no small part due to his everyman charm and bloke-next-door affability.
The one thing Allen has always backed is his willingness to take any challenge on. Across a long career, he has seldom shied away.
Perhaps that's why, despite conventional wisdom, the Doncaster native jumped at the bit when it came to a dance with Filip Hrgoivc.
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The hard-hitting Croatian has the amateur and professional pedigree of a would-be superstar, with an Olympic medal and minor belts.
His lone pro loss, against Daniel Dubois in their IBF interim bout two years ago, saw him outwork the Briton for long parts of the fight.
In terms of experience, the gulf is significant. In terms of quality, even the ever-optimistic Allen concedes he is a hometown underdog.
The question then, as the pair meet at the Eco-Power Stadium, is this: will this weekend confirm where he belongs at British level too?
Where does Dave Allen sit on the domestic stage?
It will almost be a year to the day since Allen fought Johnny Fisher for the second time when he steps out in Doncaster on Saturday.
There, he avenged his narrow loss against the younger man five months prior with a fifth-round stoppage that bolstered his stock.
Yet his two fights since have come against overseas foes - a loss to Arslanbek Makhmudov, and a rapid win over Karim Berredjem.
The latter tells very little - Allan effectively sparked out a lower-end fodder fighter to keep active - but the former tells a different story.
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Makhmudov was the hard-hitting adopted Montrealer who had given plenty of grief to the glamour division over the past decade or so.
That Allan went the distance was deemed impressive, even more so when his foe subsequently fought a dozen rounds with Tyson Fury.
Few, including Allen, would suggest that he is an operator who could regularly mix it with the best British fighters at higher world level.
But his recent record may suggest that he could prove more than a handful for several of the scene's lower-ranked domestic talents.
Is Allen worthy of a Lonsdale Belt shot?
Before it was announced that he had booked Hrgovic for his next fight, Allen had been open about a desire to fight for the British title.
A two-time Commonwealth challenger against Lenroy Thomas, 'The White Rhino' has made no secret about a Lonsdale Belt crack.
Only last July, he appeared on track to get his moment, with a bout against Jeamie TKV expected to be made for the back half of 2025.
For whatever reason, the moment did not materialise - but should Allen bank credit against Hrgovic, he will surely be back in the frame.
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TKV has since lost the British title, with Richard Riakporhe scoring a brutal stoppage against him at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.
'The Midnight Train' issued a post-bout call-out for Fisher - himself on the rebuild trail after his loss to Allen - and offered him a shot.
Yet, given his WBC, IBF and WBO rankings, Riakporhe could well vacate instead, possibly teeing up a chance for the Doncaster man.
Could Fisher remain in play, with a potential trilogy between the pair? It seems unlikely. But stranger things have happened in sport.
What happens if Allen stuns Hrgovic?
Speaking of stranger things, Allen has been adamant that despite outsider status, he can make it a night to remember on home soil.
Dubbing their bout "a world title eliminator", an upset for the star against Hrgovic would surely send ripples across the glamour division.
Theoretically, a victory could well strengthen Allen's hand for a shot at the Lonsdale Belt, perhaps against a Frazer Clarke or a TKV.
More than that, it would surely earn him a strong ranking, with Hrgovic ranked by all major bodies and currently second with the WBO.
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Quite who that would tee up is another matter entirely. Champion Daniel Dubois is unlikely to look his way, and nor would Moses Itauma.
Allen has floated an interest in both Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder before too. Each of those could be a credible option for him to take.
The likelihood is however that a win would not bring a world title opportunity, even with the division due to fracture from Oleksandr Usyk.
For the star however, the recognition may be enough. Dave Allen will enjoy Saturday night - and when it is all over, he will know his level too.
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