DAVE ALLEN’S story has been defined, for the most part, by his magnetic personality, making it seem as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.
While other fighters preach about the importance of preparation, hoping to find those extra one per cents in the gym, Allen, 24-7-2 (19 KOs), has long been notorious for his lack of discipline and all-round unprofessional attitude.
It is that attitude which, quite naturally, has made fans gravitate closer towards him over the years, with many of them finding his laid-back approach both entertaining and deeply relatable.
But now, it seems that a vastly different version of the ‘White Rhino’ – this one more focused, perhaps wishing to finally realise his potential – has suddenly emerged ahead of his showdown against Arslanbek Makhmudov tomorrow evening.
Part of this shift towards becoming a more exemplary athlete can be explained by his link-up with Jamie Moore, a coach who appears to have gotten the best out of his heavyweight charge.
But even while training in Manchester, away from his family, there was more than one occasion, Allen admits, where the temptation to throw down his tools became almost too enticing to refuse.
It is during those moments, however, when Moore, a former fighter himself, understands exactly what it takes to keep the 33-year-old’s emotions firmly under control.
“I do miss my kids, yeah,” Allen tells Boxing News. “I don’t miss my missus all the time, to be honest. Absolutely not – she does my head in – but I hate being away from my kids, and I’ve had times [during camp] where I’ve wanted to go home.
“If it weren’t for Jamie [Moore], who I’ve got a lot of respect for, I would’ve gone home.”
While training with Moore, Allen equally feels as though he has been held accountable by his stablemates, including the likes of cruiserweight prospect Pat Brown and British champion Conah Walker.
Believing that he has a responsibility to lead by example, rather than take his foot off the gas, the Doncaster man highlights this as another reason for his new-found mindset.
“I’m the oldest in the gym,” he says. “Pat Brown was a Dave Allen fan 10 years ago – and don’t let him say that he wasn’t.
“So I’m the elder statesman, really, and would say that I’m the gym leader out of all the fighters.
“But I like that role, because I really have turned up and trained hard. Since the first [Johnny] Fisher fight, I’ve been the first one in the gym and the last one out.
“If I don’t put 100 per cent in, the boys are all going to say, ‘What’s he coming here for?’”
Sure enough, it would appear that Allen’s first encounter with Johnny Fisher, back in December 2024, was the catalyst for his added level of commitment to boxing.
And while he ultimately suffered a rather controversial split decision defeat, it was not long, then, before Allen engineered a stunning fifth-round finish in their immediate rematch.
As a result of his success, the fan-favourite has been given another opportunity to shine, this time against Makhmudov, 20-2 (19 KOs), while headlining a Matchroom card at the Sheffield Arena.
According to the bookmakers, this is more or less a 50/50 matchup, but even so, Allen is now beginning to question why he ever selected Makhmudov – a scary-looking fella, though perhaps less fearsome than his appearance suggests – as his next opponent.
“I never look too far ahead, so I’ve not even given it that much thought until this week, really,” Allen continues.
“If something’s happening, and it’s 10 weeks away, then I’ll just say that I’m going to be there. And then, with three days to go, it’s like, ‘Oh, have I really got to go?’ So I feel the same way about this.
“[The fight’s] getting pretty close now, so I’m nervous – really nervous. When me and Eddie [Hearn] first sat down and spoke about Makhmudov, I was over the moon.
“But now that it’s getting closer, I’m like, ‘Why have I picked him?’ I’ve just brought a nice house, and I want to live in it, so I can’t wait for Sunday when I can just sit on my settee, play Football Manager, watch s*** on the telly, and keep the blinds closed.”
