Dave Allen has delivered on his promise to come into his clash with Filip Hrgovic in decent shape.
The fan favourite Brit has blown hot and cold throughout his career, often revealing after defeats that he could have trained harder and prepared better.
This weekend, he looks to claim the biggest scalp of his campaign in Hrgovic, the world-level, well-schooled and durable Croatian, whose only defeat has come against new world champion Daniel Dubois.
Despite still viewing a headline slot at London’s O2 Arena against Lucas Browne as the greatest achievement of his career, Allen will fight in front of 10,000 home fans at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, and the significance of that has not passed him by.
He has clearly trainer hard, tipping the scales at 248.8lbs. It is an impressive drop from the 271 he weighed in his last outing – a first round blowout of Karim Berredjem in February. In fact, it is the lowest weight Allen has registered since his 2019 loss to David Price.
Speaking on the transformation, ‘Dazzling’ Dave said:
“I’ve just ate less chocolate, less sweets … People talk about sacrifice but I’m very fortunate really. I spend a lot of time with my family, my kids and I box for a living. Everyone in here doing 9-5, that’s a sacrifice. It would be unfair to me to talk about sacrifice, I live my dream every day. Sometimes in the gym it’s hard, sometimes I want to eat stuff, but I’m gonna walk out to 10,000 people in Doncaster against one of the best heavyweights in the world. That was my dream and I’m about to live it.”
Regardless of his shape, most see Hrgovic as too big a mountain to climb for Allen. He is aware of that, but believes he can produce one of the biggest upsets ever seen on UK shores.
“He’s a great fighter, but I’ve got no fear of him. All week he’s trying to tell me I don’t want to look at him. I couldn’t care less about Filip Hrgovic. It’s a boxing match.
“On paper I shouldn’t even be in the ring with him, but I just feel like tomorrow, in Donny, it’ll be a special night and I’m gonna get one of the biggest upsets in British boxing history.”
