How Dave Allen recovered from a brutal beating and made the headlines in his hometown

dave allen Will be topping the bill in his hometown this weekend When he faces the big-punching Arslanbek Makhmudov Live in Sheffield, in front of 9,000 fans DAZN,

It’s been quite a transformation for the 33-year-old, which has suffered some major shocks During his 13 years as a professional.

The biggest incident occurred in 2019 when he was carried out of the ring on a stretcher after being restrained by a fellow Briton, david price,

After that disastrous defeat his career appeared to be in decline, But Allen has rebuilt over the last six years To prepare for the biggest fight of his life on Saturday night. Here’s how he did it.

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That defeat of David Price

Allen entered the July 2019 fight in career-best form after winning his previous four fights.

Just three months earlier he had stopped former world champion Lucas Browne in under three rounds, and many thought he could defeat Olympic medalist Price, who had been knocked out several times before.

But Allen could not join the fight at all. Price set the pace from the opening bell and punished Allen round after round. After 10 rounds, Allen told his corner that he could not continue, and the fight was canceled.

After this the situation became worse. Allin struggled after suffering significant damage and was fitted with an oxygen mask before being taken out of the ring on a stretcher. He was taken to hospital for further tests before being released and it looked as if he would be away from the game forever.

Taking a break and turning to coaching

Allin returned to the ring to score a victory seven months after his loss to Price, but then announced his retirement in November 2020.

As he gained experience watching, he turned his attention to training young fighters around the Doncaster area boxing From the other side of the ropes. This break proved to be wonderful for him as he rediscovered his love for the game. In April 2021, Allen confirmed that he would return but that he wanted to box at a “low level” and “enjoy boxing”.

He declined to commit to any major fights immediately, instead focusing on trying to rebuild his confidence and get his career firmly back on track.

thriving on small hall shows

Allen raced at several levels during his career before being brought back down to earth.

He was easily defeated by the likes of Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, Tony Yoka and Price, proving that he was not at the top level. It would have been easy for him to chase another big pay day and suffer another loss, but he stuck to his promise to fight at a level where he could be competitive.

Following his retirement U-turn, Allen won three consecutive bouts on smaller hall shows and was not taken past the second round in any of them. None of his opponents were big names but it didn’t matter. It was all about gaining confidence, gaining momentum and moving forward to his next big fight.

As he moves into the second half of 2023, Allen has decided that he is once again ready to take the next step.

fraser clarke debacle

Allen accepted a fight with Fraser Clark in September 2023. Fighting an Olympic bronze medalist seemed like the perfect measuring stick to see if Allen could compete with the best prospects in the heavyweight division.

But the fight soon turned into a scrappy affair, with Clark repeatedly warning to land low blows. He was deducted two points for being hit below the belt in the sixth round and looked to be close to disqualification, before Allen was knocked out due to a punctured eardrum.

There was later animosity between the pair as Clarke accused Allen of trying to take him out, while Allen felt that Clarke was guilty of using dirty tactics. This was another blow for Allen, but he knew he could not end his career like this, and quickly got back into the gym.

fisher fight

Allen picked up two low-key wins to advance his 2024 run, and then came the phone call he was hoping for.

He was given a chance to fight unbeaten johnny fisher On the undercard of Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk last December in Saudi Arabia.

Fischer had been defeating all his opponents without breaking a sweat and he was expected to do the same with Allen. The build-up to Allen’s dispatching was dominated by talk of Fischer moving to the next level and potentially preparing for a fight with fellow rising star, Moses Itauma.

But those plans were dashed as soon as the opening bell rang. Fischer controlled the early exchanges, while Allen moved around the ring and gave his opponent no chance to worry. However, in the fifth round, Allen turned the fight around. Fischer’s left hook faltered and another flurry of punches put the young prospect down for the first time in his career.

Fisher bravely got to his feet but Allen dominated the rest of the contest and was expected to get the upper hand at the final bell. To the shock of many, Fischer got the nod via split decision, leaving Allen disappointed, but he rose to the occasion and eventually reached his level.

settle scores with fisher

Allen warned Fischer not to seek an immediate rematch with him, but his domestic enemy did not listen to him.

The second fight was scheduled for May as Allen aimed to prove that his performance in their first meeting was no fluke. Once again, it was Fischer who started well, but Allen worked his way into the fight and gained the upper hand in the fifth round.

As in the first match, the Allen combination hurt Fischer and he lost. He got to his feet and with only seconds left in the round it looked like he would be saved by the bell. But Allen knew he couldn’t let Fisher off the hook this time and he went for the finish, and landed a big left hook that left Fisher sprawled and in no position to continue.

Allen had completed the work he had started five months earlier to achieve one of the biggest wins of his career.

Can Allen take advantage of his speed?

During the first part of his career, Allen did not have a plan for how he wanted to develop as a fighter. He simply fought big names, got beaten, and then came back for more.

But over the last six years, he has slowly made a comeback into contention by taking calculated risks and it has paid off. Now, he is in the strongest position of his career, knowing that if he gets past Makhmudov on Saturday night he will move straight into another big fight.

deontay wilder Mentioned as a potential future rival – this would not have been possible five years ago. Allen is riding the crest of a wave and must use that momentum and the Sheffield crowd to defeat Makhmudov. If he can get another win this weekend, a big fight awaits in 2026.

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