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The two fights that completely changed Dave Allen's career
Dave Allen continues to enjoy a remarkable career resurgence – returning to the ring this weekend to take on the giant Arslanbek Makhmudov in his first headline show in Sheffield.
‘The White Rhino’ has seen it all. He has been a prospect, fought former world champions, been knocked out, retired and is now a veteran of the sport, preparing to take on one of his biggest tests.
But whilst enjoying the comeback of the 'Doncaster De La Hoya' – it is important to remember that Allen was in a very different place a year ago, and what has happened in that time has been the pivotal factor in reinvigorating his career.
So, here is a look back at how two fights with Johnny Fisher drastically changed the trajectory of Allen’s life.
Where was Dave Allen in 2024?
After a devastating knockout loss to David Price in 2019, Allen had bounced back impressively by knocking out Dorian Darch in February of 2020, but it looked as though his chances of climbing the heavyweight ladder were behind him.
In November 2020, Allen posted to his Instagram and officially retired from professional boxing at just 28.
The post read: “The reason for me calling It a day is simple, I don’t wan’t to get punched anymore, long gone are the days of the kid from Donny [Doncaster] who just wants to fight, all I want now is a nice quiet life with a wife and some kids, healthy and happy, getting nice and fat.”
But itchy knuckles and financial struggles brought Allen back to the ring in 2021 and he fought three small halls shows – winning all three before taking a fight in 2023 against Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke, in which he retired in the sixth round.
Two four-round fights followed in 2024, and Allen was once again ready to call it a day, unable to sell tickets and paying out of his own pocket to get on shows.
Then, just as he was about to retire, he received what would turn out to be a life-changing phone call.
Allen told BBC Sport: “I was randomly on the way home, I think we’d been away with her [his wife’s] Mum and Dad. I think it was Sam Jones, and he said, ‘You’re boxing Johnny Fisher in Saudi [Arabia].
“I could have cried, to be honest, because I wasn’t ready for boxing to be over.”
Dan Istitene/Getty Images
The first Fisher fight
Johnny Fisher was hot property for Matchroom, and they were carefully managing his career. It seemed Allen had been brought in as a spent force that could give Fisher some more in-ring experience – but pose no tangible threat.
After 12 fights, Fisher had only boxed past round six once, but was a fan favourite and big ticket seller with his loyal ‘Bosh Soldiers’ following him, while also having a viral social media presence with his father, ‘Big John’.
The first four rounds of the fight were proceeding as planned for Eddie Hearn and Fisher, the Essex native boxing well at range, looking explosive and managing to avoid anything coming back his way.
But Allen did not seek trouble and stayed patient, using his underrated defensive nuance to take the sting out of most of Fisher’s work and inched closer and closer to his target.
In the fifth round, it was clear Fisher had not been asked this many questions before and had got out of the blocks too quickly, looking for an early knockout.
He still had his power, but the speed of the punches and his feet were slowing. This allowed Allen to take the fight exactly where he wanted it – on the inside.
As he and a tired-looking Fisher locked up in the clinch, the younger man waited for the call of ‘break’ from the referee, but ti didn’t come. Allen unleashed a concussive left hook and took Fisher’s legs away from him.
Fisher tried to hang on, but wily as he is, Allen slipped away, and Fisher went down heavily.
This was the first time he had been dropped, and as the referee counted, he looked worriedly at his corner – whilst Allen patiently waited to pounce.
Allen now had the advantage; he had taken Fisher’s legs and now forced the action on the inside, using all the dark arts he had learned through over 30 fights and landed punishing blows to Fisher up close.
‘The Romford Bull’ showed great resolve to continue to respond and kept himself in the fight. As the fight came to an end, those in attendance were convinced Allen had done enough to win it – but two of the judges scored it 95-94 in favour of Fisher and the other 96-93 for Allen.
The second fight
Johnny Fisher agreed to an immediate rematch that would take place five months later at the Copper Box Arena. Allen said this was an ill-advised decision and recommended that Fisher take more fights in between and then come back for the rematch as he was still a novice.
But the fight went ahead, and Allen concerned some when he tipped the scales at over 260lbs, showing signs that he had perhaps not trained enough for the fight and was not taking it seriously.
As the first bell rang, Allen immediately came out with more intent, pushing Fisher back and avoiding most of his heavy shots.
Fishers had clearly over-adjusted his strategy from the first fight and did not look willing to throw combinations as he let Allen get close far too early, allowing him to build confidence.
There were pockets of success for Fisher, but the more he let Allen dictate the range and pace of the fight, the more punishment he was beginning to take.
Allen was comfortable and confident, and in the fifth round, caught Fisher with a looping overhand right that hurt Fisher. The ‘Doncaster De La Hoya’ trundled in pursuit and landed a lead uppercut and right hook that, in an almost mirror image of the first fight, dropped Fisher.
Fisher admirably climbed to his feet but was not all there and had a ‘White Rhino’ ready to charge him.
That’s just what Allen did, walking Fisher back to the ropes and landing five unanswered hooks with a left as the flourish that separated Fisher from consciousness in front of thousands of his own fans.
Allen had exacted revenge in emphatic fashion and claimed the WBO inter-continental title, his first international honours, along the way.
Watch Dave Allen vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov live on DAZN
Allen vs. Makhmudov is live on DAZN this Saturday night, October 11. Watch the fight and whole card with a DAZN subscription.
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