Dave Allen vs. Filip Hrgovic | DAZN - 16 May 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

When he says career highest purse, what do you think it will be for this fight 200k?

Surely he’s been paid more than that right?

What do he get against Browne? Or Price?

[Pukka Cheese]

Think it's a shit fight personally. Another step down for Hrg and a beating for Allen..

[Ruthless-RKO]

Win for Hrg ain’t gonna do shit for him.

A win for Allen doesn’t mean anything either cus he doesn’t give a crap.

At least he’s being paid Yh?

At what cost?

[Cyclops]

Think it's a shit fight personally. Another step down for Hrg and a beating for Allen..

Agreed.

Guaranteed hiding for Dave Allen.

Complete waste of time for Hrgovic who has taken any good fighter who has had the stones to fight him to the well and has been a consistent top 10 guy for yonks, yet never seems to be used as anything other than a gatekeeper to the top 5. Who manages him?

How does a guy who beat Zhilei Zhang on an Usyk/AJ undercard end up fighting Mark De Mori two fights later?

How do you take somebody who gave Daniel Dubois hell until he was head butted to death, and beat (an admittedly much faded) Joe Joyce, and then instead of building on any momentum stick him in with David Adeleye and then Dave Allen?

[gilgamesh]

Think it's a shit fight personally. Another step down for Hrg and a beating for Allen..

Agreed.

Guaranteed hiding for Dave Allen.

Complete waste of time for Hrgovic who has taken any good fighter who has had the stones to fight him to the well and has been a consistent top 10 guy for yonks, yet never seems to be used as anything other than a gatekeeper to the top 5. Who manages him?

How does a guy who beat Zhilei Zhang on an Usyk/AJ undercard end up fighting Mark De Mori two fights later?

How do you take somebody who gave Daniel Dubois hell until he was head butted to death, and beat (an admittedly much faded) Joe Joyce, and then instead of building on any momentum stick him in with David Adeleye and then Dave Allen?

I mean...what are the bigger options that Hrgovic could've fought?

Usyk is fighting Verhoeven. Fury is fighting Makh. What AJ does next is up in the air. Wardley is fighting Dubois.

So it was either this, or just sit around for 6 months doing nothing, and waiting for all those guys schedules to open up again. It's better to fight a Dave Allen and stay active than it is to just sit around, and get older.

[MasterG]

When he says career highest purse, what do you think it will be for this fight 200k?

Surely he’s been paid more than that right?

What do he get against Browne? Or Price?

I reckon I'm around the purse at that.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[MasterG]

Pre sale midday tomorrow.

Just booked premier Inn at Lakeside 100 quid.because the price will jump when they get to know there's an event on.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[MasterG]

Bought 2 tickets for the stand middle if the ring view. Odd thing is you don't select a seat. Bit odd so I'm guessing you will with be allocated seat numbers or first come first served. All strange that

[Ruthless-RKO]

Bought 2 tickets for the stand middle if the ring view. Odd thing is you don't select a seat. Bit odd so I'm guessing you will with be allocated seat numbers or first come first served. All strange that

that's very strange.

maybe they haven't done seat selection yet in terms f how many seats they will have available.

Is it selling ok? or too early to tell

[Manchester Hitman]

Dave should be fighting the TKV/Riakphore winner or David Adeleye. Are Matchroom now incapable of providing him with anything..

I understand if you offer a fighter career high money, he’s going to have to take it, but this is a horrible matchup.

Queensbury/Frank couldn’t give a monkeys. They are paying Allen to create an outside event, that gives their fighter an easy one.

[Ruthless-RKO]

FIIIP HRGOVIC DETERMINED TO RUIN DAVE ALLEN'S DREAM HOMECOMING

Somewhat bizarrely, Filip Hrgovic has found himself cast as chief supporting actor in the latest chapter of The Dave Allen Story.

The Croatian heavyweight is determined to play the villain and destroy the hometown hero’s dreams when the two meet at Doncaster’s Eco Power Stadium on May 16.

It is safe to say that the man ranked at No. 4 by The Ring never expected to find himself in South Yorkshire but with heavyweight season in full swing and the division’s biggest names tied up in their own affairs, Hrgovic’s new multi-fight deal with Queensberry starts against the exceptionally popular Yorkshireman.

“To be honest, I wasn't expecting this kind of fight,” Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs) admitted at Tuesday’s launch press conference.

“I was calling out names like [WBO champion] Fabio Wardley, for a rematch with Daniel Dubois or to fight Agit Kabayel in Germany. I was hoping for for that kind of fight but in the end, this fight was on the table. It was a great deal offered from Queensbury and I accepted.

“If I ever become heavyweight champion, it should be with Queensbury. They have all the best fighters and they can give me great opportunities but first I must take care of Dave Allen on May 16.”

If the fight is a very high profile means to an end for 33-year-old Hrgovic, Allen (25-8-2, 20 KOs) described the fight as his “world cup final.”

Last October, it looked like the 34-year-old’s hopes of making a dent on the world scene had been ended by a 10-round loss to Arslanbek Makhmudov in Sheffiled. Just seven months later, he will headline a stadium fight just two miles from where he grew up. Around 9,000 came out to support him against the giant Russian. Around double that are expected to fill the Eco-Power stadium in six weeks' time.

The charismatic but complicated Allen realizes just how big an opportunity he has been handed but also acknowledges how tough it will be.

“I'm full of respect for Filip. I think he's a fantastic fighter, one that I'm proud to to be in competition with but I've got no fear of him,” Allen said.

“I've been boxing the best heavyweights in the world since I was a kid. Luis Ortiz, Tony Yoka, Dillian White, all on a matter of two or three weeks' notice so I've got no fear of Filip, but I’m very respectful of his ability and his ranking. No fear, but I'm aware of the task at hand.”

Allen has always been confident in his natural ability, physical strength and chin but admits that he has let himself down time and time again with his preparations and has spoken openly about struggling with self-doubt and his mental health battles.

Although he lost to Makhmudov, Allen took confidence from the fight and now believes that he has what it takes to compete at the highest level. He is, apparently, already in better condition than he was that night and has pledged his trainer, Jamie Moore, his unwavering dedication to the task at hand.

“I've never really been one to be overly confident,” he said.

“I’ve never been a big talker. I mean, I'm a big talker, but not to talk myself up but I'm very confident. There's a there's a wash of calm come over me recently.

“Filip’s got everything to lose and I've got everything to gain so I'm very, very confident in getting a result and the most confidence is is coming from the fact that I'm preparing correctly. I anticipate getting a result here.”

Hrgovic does have a lot to lose. He has been heavily linked to a significant fight with heavyweight prodigy, Moses Itauma, and holds top-10 rankings with all four governing bodies.

Having fallen short at the final hurdle against Dubois in June 2024, Hrgovic is fully aware that a loss to Allen would prove catastrophic to his hopes of winning a world title and is determined not to let that happen.

“I'm ready for anything,” he said.

“It can be a complicated fight. I think it's up to me how much I will give him a space. I must cut his wings from the first round. I must punish him, counter him and show him who's the boss so that's that's what I'm going to do.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dave Allen, Filip Hrgovic stick to straight talk in first fight presser

The mood Tuesday at Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster, England, was straightforward, practical and even a bit jovial – free from the usual bluster and back-and-forth we’ve grown accustomed to at these events.

What a delight.

It was the opening pre-fight press conference ahead of the Filip Hrgovic-Dave Allen heavyweight bout scheduled for May 16 at those same football grounds, and none of the main parties involved seemed all that interested in trying to prop up the event as something greater than what it is – a big fight for Allen in front of his hometown fans and a stay-busy placeholder for Hrgovic.

“To be honest, I wasn't expecting this kind of fight,” said Hrgovic, 19-1 (14 KOs), who is ranked in the top seven by all four sanctioning bodies. “I was calling out names like Fabio Wardley or a rematch with Daniel Dubois, or to fight [Agit] Kabayel In Germany, or I was hoping for that kind of fights. But in the end, this fight was at the table, and it was a great deal offered from Queensbury, and I accepted.”

For his part, Allen, 25-8-2 (20 KOs), was realistic about where he fit in among the class of heavyweights Hrgovic had both been eyeing and has already faced. At the same time, he ceded no ground in the matchup.

“In comparison to Dubois and [Zhilei] Zhang, I can’t punch for toffee – I mean, I’ve got no power at all in comparison,” Allen said. “I’m not a big puncher at the highest level. I’m clever, I’m tough, I’m awkward. I think, with Filip, I’m not gonna try and knock him out. I want to irritate him. I’m gonna make him miss, I’m gonna push him back. He’s gonna turn up on May 16 and think he’s in for an easy night, and when we get two, three, four, five rounds in, he’s gonna think, ‘Wow, I can’t really hit this fella.’

“A lot of people in boxing – the [Oleksandr] Usyks, the [Tyson] Furys, [Anthony] Joshua – go and ask them about me. They’ll tell you, ‘He’s a very good fighter on his day.’ And if I have my best day and Filip turns up anything short of 100 per cent, I’m gonna beat him.”

Hrgovic, whose only career loss came in 2024 when he was stopped by Dubois in an interim title bout, has since rallied back with wins over Joe Joyce and David Adeleye. He said he doesn’t even rate Allen among those latter two fighters, and he apologized in advance to Doncaster for his plans to “ruin the party.” If anything, what impressed Hrgovic most about Allen is his drawing power.

“I just got on my mind one story,” Hrgovic said. “I was reading his article – he gave some interview few years ago, like, I think he was going to retirement. And he said, ‘Boxing was great to me. I did this, I did this, I bought a house.’ And I was like, ‘What the fornicate, man?’ He said, ‘I bought few houses from boxing.’ At that time, I still didn’t have my house. I was like, ‘What the fornicate? How this guy bought a house from boxing, and I still don’t have house?’

“It’s not easy to be Croatian in boxing in heavyweight division and be top five in the world, coming from small Croatia, without any history in boxing. … Imagine if I’m from Great Britain, man. I would be a superstar!”

At that, Allen couldn’t help himself. With a twinkle in his eye and a stand-up comic’s timing, he stirred his finger and extended an invitation to his rival:

“I’ll take you around Doncaster later,” he said, “and you’ll understand more, I think.”

Even the fight promotion’s title – “Dave vs. Goliath” – doesn’t bother pulling any punches. “Very appropriately named,” said Queensberry’s allegedly.

“It's a big opportunity for Dave to go and do what he feels he can do,” Warren said. “So I was listening to him talking out there, and he was saying he's only trained properly for two fights in his career. And you look at him now, this is the fittest I've seen him, and he looks really well, so he's got plenty of time now. So you know he's going to be at his best – and he's going to have to be at his best, because he's with a top-class, world-class heavyweight in Filip.”

Allen has rarely lived the fighter’s spartan lifestyle in the past – yet another reason, perhaps, the English fans seem to embrace him as a working-class, everyman hero. The event emcee took note, like Warren, that a lean and fit Allen appeared to have shed his past jolly, chubby disposition.

“I’ll still be jolly,” Allen responded in his best deadpan. “I’m a jolly guy. Hopefully not chubby – but definitely jolly.”

In his more serious moments, Allen declared his admiration for Hrgovic but noted that he has already shared a ring with plenty of respectable heavyweights, including Luis Ortiz, Tony Yoka and Dillian Whyte. If it mattered that each of those fights ended in defeat for Allen, he wasn’t slowed by the notion.

“I'm full of respect for Filip,” Allen said. “I think he's a fantastic fighter, one that I'm proud to be in competition with. But I've got no fear of him.”

Maybe that’s all that matters in this matchup – that Allen shows up, throws caution to the wind and takes his best swipe at Hrgovic. That’s all Doncaster can ask of him, and Hrgovic says he is expecting nothing less from his opponent.

“I'm not gonna take him lightly,” Hrgovic said. “I know he’s brave guy, durable guy. And I know he's coming to fight, so I'll do my job.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dave Allen understands the dangers of facing Filip Hrgovic

When it was announced last week that Dave Allen would face Filip Hrgovic, many were surprised to see Allen step in with such a high-level operator so soon after his previous outing.

Just one fight ago, Allen, 25-8-2 (20 KOs), was widely beaten by Arslanbek Makhmudov in October, absorbing heavy punishment over the course of the contest. Russia’s 259lb Makhmudov often landed multiple shots for every one Allen returned, and the Yorkshireman later admitted he simply wasn’t good enough to win.

And the 19-1 (14 KOs) Hrgovic is widely viewed as a level above Makhmudov.

There are few heavyweights as durable as Allen, who has never been down in 35 professional contests – something he takes pride in – but there is growing concern that this represents a step too far. Allen’s toughness has allowed him to compete above his natural level, but it has also come at a cost.

Over a 14-year career, Allen has shared the ring with world-level operators such as Luis Ortiz, Dillian Whyte, Tony Yoka and Makhmudov. In each, he absorbed significant punishment, stopped by Ortiz and Yoka not by a single punch but through an accumulation of shots.

Yet Allen has always been willing. Often not in peak condition but never short on heart, he has built a following few British fighters can match. His popularity, coupled with his toughness, have meant that opportunities like this continue to come, even if there are risks.

One can’t forget Allen’s close call against the hard-hitting David Price.

In 2019, Allen faced Price after an impressive win over Lucas Browne. Many expected Allen to conquer the former Olympic bronze medalist, but instead Price dominated, breaking Allen down over 10 punishing rounds before his corner pulled him out. Allen later collapsed and was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion to his spine. For a time, his future in the sport appeared uncertain.

For those who were there that night, the memory still lingers.

Hrgovic may not carry the same one-punch power as Price, but he is a consistent, heavy hitter capable of inflicting sustained damage.

Allen, however, is not worried about the fight ending in a scenario similar to that of the Price bout.

“There's a risk in every fight,” Allen, 34, told Boxing Scene. “Karim Berredjem [whom Allen stopped in a round in February] could have done that to me last time in Nottingham. You can get hurt in boxing. So boxing is a dangerous sport – you can always get hurt. But I'm not thinking about that in this fight, not at all. I'm thinking about winning the fight. People say it's a mismatch. On paper, I can see why you would think it's very one-sided, but I'm not going to say it. I've boxed Tony Yoka, Luis Ortiz, Dillan Whyte. Look at who I've boxed, look at all of them. I'm not scared of Filip Hrgovic.

“I'm not standing here and telling you, ‘I'm going to beat Filip Hrgovic, 1,000,000 per cent, it's a done deal, I'm better than him,’ I'm not saying that. I've watched him – again, I do watch him. There’s a few things I see that I think I can capitalize on and I give him a lot of problems. I'm confident about giving a really good fight here, I think I can really, really push him.”

It is difficult to criticize Allen for taking the fight. He is, after all, a prizefighter.

Headlining at the home of his local football club, Doncaster Rovers, on May 16, against a heavyweight ranked No. 4 by Ring Magazine, represents both opportunity and risk.

“Look, the age he's at, what's he going to do? His ambition is to fight for a world title,” the promoter of the fight, allegedly, told Boxing Scene. “To fight for a world title, you've got to beat somebody, and this is another opportunity for him. It's a tough fight. I mean, he's up against it. I say it how it is. Hrgovic, he's the Queensbury fighter, Allen is the Matchroom fighter, and obviously I want my man to win. But I like Dave Allen. He's a nice guy, he's got a really nice way about him, he's a man of the people, and I'm sure he'll do his best. And if he does win, then he'll do so deservedly in front of his own fans, and it's certainly going to spur him on and drive him on, that's for sure.”

Warren does not shy away from the dangers.

“Of course there are,” he said. “They're heavyweights. They get hit on the chin, they get knocked over. I mean, that happens. That's what big punches do.”

Allen’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith, agrees.

“I've got to be honest, I think every heavyweight fight is dangerous,” Smith told Boxing Scene, “but has Dave been in with big punchers – maybe bigger punchers than Filip Hrgovic? Yes, and that's again what comes to the perfect shot in heavyweight boxing. So, yes, it is dangerous – of course it is. But that's what drives Dave to go and give it his all, and that's what he's said about many times.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Filip Hrgovic ‘guaranteed’ fight with top heavyweight if he beats Dave Allen: “We have a contract”

Filip Hrgovic returns to the UK on May 16, this time facing fan-favourite Dave Allen at Doncaster’s Eco-Power Stadium.

The Croatian heavyweight known as ‘El Animal’ hasn’t lost on British soil, beating Demsey McKean in London back in 2023 and David Adeleye in Manchester last year. He has, however, been beaten by a Brit in Daniel Dubois.

As he looks to work himself into contention for a rematch with Dubois – who challenges for Fabio Wardley’s WBO heavyweight title a week before – Hrgovic will step through the ropes a considerable favourite against Allen, who lost to Arslanbek Makhmudov last year but beat Karim Berredjem in February to get back in the winning column.

If Allen can’t harness the home advantage and pull off an upset, Hrgovic has already secured himself a significant fight. Speaking to Boxing King Media, he named the heavyweights mentioned in his contract.

“I get paid and I move forward for my second fight in a new deal with Queensberry.

“I have in contract a few names that must get delivered. Moses [Itauma], Agit [Kabayel], [Daniel] Dubois, [Fabio] Wardley. Four, five names that must be delivered. It’s guaranteed. We’ll see what happens with Wardley-Dubois, Moses and Agit. But we have an obligation that I must face one of these guys later in the year.”

After his latest knockout win this past weekend, where he became the first man to stop Jermaine Franklin, Moses Itauma did mention Hrgovic as his ideal next test, but their timelines may not line up as the young Brit is due to return in July.

Agit Kabayel is in prime position with the WBC, looking to either fight champion Oleksandr Usyk next or see the belt become vacant and pick it up that way.

The standout match-up for Hrgovic would undoubtedly be a shot at the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Dubois – a straight shot at the WBO belt.

His two-fight deal with Queensberry represents more significant moves in the division, which is shaping up strongly for 2026 into 2027. Of course, Allen – ‘The Doncaster De La Hoya’ – looks to spoil those plans and land a big one himself.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hrgovic: Itauma fight is part of my new multi-fight Queensberry deal

Moses Itauma is the beloved young phenom with a ton of potential.

That potential was on display this past weekend as the 21-year-old dismantled the normally durable Jermaine Franklin in five violent rounds.

By and large, Itauma is being praised for his performance. But Filip Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs) refuses to give him credit for beating a man who clearly wasn’t on his level.

“The reality is that he wasn’t in there with a great fighter,” Hrgovic said on Inside The Ring.

“He never received a real punch. He was never dropped. He’s still not tested. He needs a good test. We need to see if he is a real warrior or not. He definitely has all the ability. He has technique, he has IQ, he’s fast. He’s a great fighter but we’ll see if he’s a real warrior.”

Immediately after pleasing the jam-packed crowd at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) grabbed the microphone during the post-fight press conference and uttered Hrgovic’s name.

The Ring’s No. 4-ranked heavyweight already has a date lined up with David Allen on May 16 at Doncaster's Eco-Power Stadium. What Hrgovic won’t do is take his eyes off the prize. But the 33-year-old recently signed a long-term deal with Queensberry, the same promotional company as Itauma.

If everything goes according to plan and he beats Allen, he expects to be matched up with Itauma soon after.

“He’s one of the guys in my contract for the next fight,” Hrgovic revealed. “There’s a big possibility that I fight him next after Dave Allen. I would like to fight him and think I can beat him. A win against him would be awesome for my career, I'm in for that fight."

For the most part, Itauma’s promise has many believing he’s the future of the heavyweight division. Hrgovic, who’s coming off a lopsided points win against David Adeleye last August, is over a decade older than his rival.


“I still didn’t show my best ability, even though I’m 33,” Hrgovic continued. “I think if I’m healthy and in great shape, I can beat all of these guys and believe I can be a champion.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Between £450k to £600k

That’s good money for him at this stage.

Too good to turn down.

[mickey1975]

Between £450k to £600k

That’s good money for him at this stage.

Too good to turn down.

And pure speculation. That guy knows no more than anyone on here.

[JamesPhilips]

I genuinely wish they would have to release all the financial arrangements for a fight. It would be fascinating.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Between £450k to £600k

That’s good money for him at this stage.

Too good to turn down.

And pure speculation. That guy knows no more than anyone on here.

He knows enough. He’s close to some teams around the UK and Ireland, and I know him personally having worked with him.

He wouldn’t randomly put out something based on pure speculation.

[Boxerbeetle]

Between £450k to £600k

That’s good money for him at this stage.

Too good to turn down.

And pure speculation. That guy knows no more than anyone on here.

He knows enough. He’s close to some teams around the UK and Ireland, and I know him personally having worked with him.

He wouldn’t randomly put out something based on pure speculation.

I didn’t think you worked in boxing? Who is this guy?

[Ruthless-RKO]

And pure speculation. That guy knows no more than anyone on here.

He knows enough. He’s close to some teams around the UK and Ireland, and I know him personally having worked with him.

He wouldn’t randomly put out something based on pure speculation.

I didn’t think you worked in boxing? Who is this guy?

He’s called Jonny. From North Manchester.

He got me back into boxing. Telling me about guys like Kovalev and GGG before they became mainstream.