Dave Allen once again adopts the role of the underdog as he takes on heavyweight world title hopeful Filip Hrgovic this evening, and ahead of the action, Allen’s former opponent David Price has given his thoughts on wheter the Yorkshireman can pull off the upset.
When Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Hrgovic made the switch to the professional scene, it is unlikely that the Eco-Power Stadium, home of Doncaster Rovers Football Club, was ever on his radar as a potential venue. However, that is where the Croatian is headed, as he tops the bill against local hero Allen.
In December 2024, fight fans feared the worst when he went up against Johnny Fisher, but the ‘White Rhino’ soon quashed those concerns, arguably beating Fisher in their first fight but suffering a controversial defeat, before knocking him out in their rematch five months later.
That triumph saw Allen sign a three-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing, beginning with a tough task against Arslanbek Makhmudov, where he came up second best in front of a raucous crowd, before a first-round stoppage of lesser-known Frenchman, Karim Berredjem, last time out.
Tonight, Allen makes a detour from the Matchroom contract as he fights on a Queensberry card against Hrgovic, whose only defeat has come at the hands of two-time world champion Daniel Dubois, and remains a threat to the world titles.
Yet, despite being written off by the masses, former heavyweight contender Price told Seconds Out that Allen could shock the world if he decides to ‘trust his fitness’ and ‘let his hands go early’.
“If he lets his hands go, early, then yeah, [Dave Allen can win]. Dave Allen just needs to trust himself, trust his fitness and not worry that he is going to get tired. He has got a great training team around him, they are really experienced.
“He has been guilty of not letting his hands go early enough in the fight, if he’d have done it early on with Makhmudov, he would have beat him and he would have got a Tyson Fury fight. So, he will be kicking himself.
“Go for it, and if you gas out, then at least you know. Don’t wonder after it ‘what if I would have gone earlier’, because Hrgovic has got questionable stamina, people question his stamina and whether he can fight at a pace for prolonged periods of time over the 12 rounds.
“He has looked tired in fights, he has struggled late on. So, try and empty the tank earlier and make him work from the word ‘go’. At least then, there will be no second guessing after the fight.
“I think that he can [win]. It’s just whether he decides to go for it early enough.”
Allen-Hrgovic takes place tonight on DAZN, as Allen seeks a career-best win that would have to be considered as one of the upsets of the year.
