What’s next for Dave Allen after falling short in the Arslanbek Makhmudov challenge?

dave allen Russian heavyweight Arslanbek failed in his attempt to score the biggest win of his career against Makhmudov on Saturday night.

In front of 9,000 fans in Sheffield, Allen was outboxed in round 12 and lost on lopsided points.

A win over Makhmudov could have set Allen up for a major fight with former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder or. anthony joshua,

But that opportunity slipped through their fingers, and now alternative goals will need to be devised.

So, what comes next for the popular Doncaster heavyweight? Here, we select some of the options available to Allen.

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British title fight

Allen was looking to get on the world stage in preparation for his fight with Makhmudov, but his performance proved he is not an elite level operator.

As the 33-year-old herself admitted, Makhmudov was very good to her.

Allen’s refreshing honesty has won him a lot of fans over the years and it now makes sense for him to get back to a level where he can be more competitive.

He has made no secret of his desire to become British champion in the past, and this could now be a realistic target for 2026.

Olympic bronze medalist will compete for British heavyweight title fraser clarke Jamie ‘TKV’ Tshikewa on 25 October.

If Allen wants to eventually capture the Lonsdale belt, he could imagine taking a shot at the champ.

He was defeated by Clarke in 2023, but felt he had made the necessary improvements to seek revenge in the rematch. Clarke has also been brutalized by Fabio Wardley since stopping Allen and may be even more vulnerable after that defeat.

TKV has been stopped twice in his 10-fight professional career, including his last out against David Adele. Allen has proven his punching ability over the years and will feel he has the power to take out Clarke or TKV if given the chance.

Johnny Fisher Trilogy

allen and johnny fisher The two met twice in a span of five months between December 2024 and May 2025 and had two entertaining fights.

In the first contest Fischer controlled the early exchanges before Allen scored a sudden knockdown in the fifth round.

Allen dominated the second half of the bout and looked ready to take his hand, but Fisher got the nod via split decision.

The rematch followed the same pattern with Fischer starting well, only for Allen to send him to the canvas again in the fifth.

This time, Allen took revenge by scoring a knockout victory in the same round.

Fisher has since taken a break from the ring and changed training teams ahead of his expected return before the end of the year.

If he can pick up a confidence-boosting win, it could be time for a trilogy clash with Allen.

This should be a good measuring stick for both men, with the winner able to look beyond the domestic scene, while the loser may have to consider his future in the game.

saudi pay day

Allen traveled to Saudi Arabia to revive his career by knocking out Fischer in their first fight last December.

If he can secure a big payday a return to the Middle East may tempt him.

Allen has emerged as one of the biggest names in British boxing There is likely to be no shortage of offers in recent months and in the weeks and months to come.

The most financially attractive offer for him is likely to be to fight against a highly ranked veteran in Saudi.

He’ll likely enter the contest as the underdog, but that’s nothing new for Allen.

Establishing her young family for life will undoubtedly be at the top of her priority list, and that may mean having to fight a well-earned salary battle that she is likely to lose.

This could give him additional motivation to prove his doubters wrong once again and show that he is not a finished force.

retire

Allen insisted in his post-fight interview on Saturday that he had nothing to do with boxing.

But he had just taken part in a 12-round fight while 9,000 fans cheered him on. Once the dust settles, it may have a different feel.

During his 13 years as a professional, Allen has been involved in some brutal fights and has taken a lot of punishment.

He has lost eight times and been stopped four times. His losses to Luis Ortiz, Tony Yoka and David Price were particularly difficult to watch as Allen landed solid shots round after round until the fight was mercifully ended.

After Price’s defeat, he had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher and at that time it seemed that his career was likely to be over.

They have responded impressively to that loss and have been involved in some exciting battles, but at some point, the loss will take its toll.

Allen has to think about his future, and has expressed his interest towards training young fighters. He has also tried his hand at scholarly work.

It wouldn’t be a complete surprise if Allen chooses to move on from the other side to start a new career in boxing after his loss to Makhmudov.

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