AFTER a whirlwind eight months, Dave Allen now finds himself headlining a Matchroom bill at Sheffield Arena against knockout artist, Arslanbek Makhmudov. Ahead of the surprise scrap, Allen has made no secret of the game plan which he plans to adopt.
Allen, 24-7-2 (19 KOs), was extremely unfortunate in a controversial split-decision defeat to Johnny Fisher in Riyadh last December, but got redemption via knockout in their rematch five months later at the Copper Box Arena, London.
That performance earned Allen a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, and for his first outing with the Brentwood-based outfit, Allen has boldly selected Makhmudov, 20-2 (19 KOs), from Hearn’s list of possible opponents.
Speaking exclusively with Boxing News, Allen opened up on the decision and explained that he wanted a dance partner that would be of interest to the casual boxing audience.
“For one reason or another, I didn’t fancy the other four names. [Alexis] Barriere is a good fighter, but I didn’t think that he was a big enough name to really try and sell tickets at Sheffield. [Tony] Yoka, I had already boxed – didn’t really fancy the job again.
“[Nelson] Hysa, I thought about, but Makhmudov has been on Riyadh Season shows, he is a name, he is dangerous, he has 19 knockouts – most of them inside one round. So, he was the common-sense choice really, every boxing fan knows who he is but even the wider public will look at him and go ‘God, that is a scary fella’. They’ll look at his record and say, ‘he can fight’, and he certainly can.”
Just 18 months ago, Makhmudov was deemed as a bogeyman in the heavyweight division, but stoppage defeats to both Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello have hampered the reputation of the 36-year-old Russian.
Whilst labelling himself as the underdog, even though the bookmakers disagree, Allen maintained confidence in his ability to negate an early onslaught, follow the Kabayel game plan and take Makhmudov out down the stretch.
“As a pro, he has turned into a bit of a wrecking ball, and I thought that suited me. I think they’ll look at me and think that I suit them as well. I am there to be hit but I am hoping that he does come and have a go and that I will just be a little bit too slippery for him.
“I will get through them [early] rounds and I will be fit enough to up it and up it and up it, like Kabayel did, but it will probably take me a bit longer because I am not as good as Kabayel.”
“Vianello did it differently, he moved and boxed, did him with speed,” Allen added. “I am not going to do anyone really, for speed and for movement, so I’m going to do it the Kabayel way. If I am to do it, it will just take me a little bit longer.”
Although perceived to be a one-trick pony by many, the hard-hitting Makhmudov also boasts an impressive amateur pedigree and caught the eye during his time competing in the World Series of Boxing. There, he found success by utiliziing his 6ft 6ins stature and boxing more technically behind a powerful jab, prior to turning professional.
Yet, ‘The Lion’ has approached the professional ranks with a more front-footed, seek and destroy style, and Allen expects this strategy to continue in their fight, where he believes that fitness and endurance will be key to success.
“He has had 22 fights, and he has only boxed one way, so we are very hopeful that he will continue to do that. It’d be very hard now for him to go back [to square one] and box, and if he does go back into that then it will be a long, hard night for me.
“It’s going to be hard either way, if he comes and tries to take my head off then that is going to be hard, as well! It will be very difficult, but he does have the ability to box, so that is in the back of my mind, but we expect the Arslanbek Makhmudov that we have seen for the last seven/eight years in the pro’s.”
“I am aware that this would be the best win of my career, and it is going to be the hardest fight, as well,” he continued. “Stylistically, it is going to get physically hard, very fast. That is why I am in the gym early, I have been in the gym for a few weeks, I’m going to have to be ready and on it for him.”
