BoxRec

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑27 Feb 2026, 14:05 He’ll turn up well over 18 stone as he always does. He refuses to do a full camp, claims he likes doing his fitness work at home which means he doesn’t do it, and brought on a nutritionist who he’s clearly ignoring. And his trainer is his mate and can’t control him as Dave won’t listen. It’s sad as he’s very talented.

I’d rather throw my support behind a Bilal Fawaz. He’s had to fight to:

Escape being a child slave
Be able to live here
Be able to box
And he’s still having to wait another 9 years to get a British passport. I’d take Dave’s off him and give it to Bilal.

Bilal has also lost his peak years as a pro due to them not letting him turn pro, yet he’s now late 30s, British champ, always in brilliant shape, and he still has 3 other jobs on top of boxing.

Fawaz shows what hard work leads to.
Dave just shows he can’t be bothered. He was the second heaviest he’d ever been in his last fight, after headlining a show where he couldn’t be bothered to get in shape for. I used to cheerlead it as I thought it was character. But it’s not is it, it’s nicking a living being lazy.

bilal becoming british /commonwealth champ in his late 30s, beating this much younger guys, is cool for sure

Definitely I hope he makes good money and doesn’t have to work loads of jobs I hope they push him marketing wise his story is amazing and he could be really big. Did you see how much the MR contract meant to him? What a top fella. He reminds me of a fella I worked with on the sites he was a refugee came here as a a teenager he’d been forced to be a child soldier in Somalia. Such a nice fella never talked about it much only if you asked, both parents dead etc. super bright fella, luckily he had permanent leave to remain or whatever it was called then and could work. People like that have been through stuff that would break most people yet he was there working his arse off, got on with everyone and even the fellas who would normally be a bit like “rar rar refugees coming over here…” would have chinned anyone who ever had a bad word to say about him.

Zhang is the last person you want to use a Homer Simpson style against.

Just ask Joe Joyce.

Yep, and Joyce had an incredible ability to absorb heavy punches.

September ! 'effing hell that's a long time. So both can automatically add another 6 months of not being involved in a competitive contest. Ridiculous

Allen performed better than I expected against Arslanbek Makhmudov, but Zhang is more cultured and picks his punches better.

Dave should probably try and inflict as many big right handers on Zhilei early doors and hope for best

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑28 Feb 2026, 19:10 Yep, and Joyce had an incredible ability to absorb heavy punches.

September ! 'effing hell that's a long time. So both can automatically add another 6 months of not being involved in a competitive contest. Ridiculous

Allen performed better than I expected against Arslanbek Makhmudov, but Zhang is more cultured and picks his punches better.

Dave should probably try and inflict as many big right handers on Zhilei early doors and hope for best

Zhang is known to have stamina issues, but I wouldn't imagine Allen will give him anything to be especially worried about so he'll probably be able to fight at a pretty measured pace. Surely though Allen's plan will be for a 2nd half assault. Yes it means he's going to take a lot of punishment, but it's also the only conceivable way he has even a sliver of a chance. If he tries to go toe to toe with Zhang from the off, he probably doesn't make it to the 2nd half.

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑28 Feb 2026, 15:48 Definitely I hope he makes good money and doesn’t have to work loads of jobs I hope they push him marketing wise his story is amazing and he could be really big. Did you see how much the MR contract meant to him? What a top fella. He reminds me of a fella I worked with on the sites he was a refugee came here as a a teenager he’d been forced to be a child soldier in Somalia. Such a nice fella never talked about it much only if you asked, both parents dead etc. super bright fella, luckily he had permanent leave to remain or whatever it was called then and could work. People like that have been through stuff that would break most people yet he was there working his arse off, got on with everyone and even the fellas who would normally be a bit like “rar rar refugees coming over here…” would have chinned anyone who ever had a bad word to say about him.

good to hear stuff like this, Sean

Has much has Dave is a british favorite ,one of the lads , alls ican say is I.m glad hes not my son. The way he fights the condition hes usally in or lack of . By the time hes 50 he.ll need help to put his own socks on

coneye wrote: ↑01 Mar 2026, 08:04 Has much has Dave is a british favorite ,one of the lads , alls ican say is I.m glad hes not my son. The way he fights the condition hes usally in or lack of . By the time hes 50 he.ll need help to put his own socks on

Do you think the lack of conditioning makes you more exposed to damage? Genuinely curious as a non-boxer

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑02 Mar 2026, 01:28

coneye wrote: ↑01 Mar 2026, 08:04 Has much has Dave is a british favorite ,one of the lads , alls ican say is I.m glad hes not my son. The way he fights the condition hes usally in or lack of . By the time hes 50 he.ll need help to put his own socks on

Do you think the lack of conditioning makes you more exposed to damage? Genuinely curious as a non-boxer

I'm 100% convinced Sean , lack of fitness , and or conditioning is detremental to a boxer , . and definetly exposes you to harm , Don't think you will get too many who have laced up the gloves or been in close contact sparring and boxers in the gym that will disagree with me ...
How a fully fit, conditioned Dave Allen would of done in his carreer who knows , but one things for sure i think a fully fit and conditioned Dave throughout his carreer would of been better certainly no worse

Dave isn't hard to hit is he, I doubt Zhang will have much trouble finding his chin. The last thing Allen needs here is the fight going long with him soaking up a lot of punishment.

Maybe Allen see's Zhang as a risk worth taking, he is 42 after all, 43 by the time the fight comes around.

The shape Allen came in on his fight was poor, but that aint changing anytime soon.

coneye wrote: ↑02 Mar 2026, 05:29

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑02 Mar 2026, 01:28

coneye wrote: ↑01 Mar 2026, 08:04 Has much has Dave is a british favorite ,one of the lads , alls ican say is I.m glad hes not my son. The way he fights the condition hes usally in or lack of . By the time hes 50 he.ll need help to put his own socks on

Do you think the lack of conditioning makes you more exposed to damage? Genuinely curious as a non-boxer

I'm 100% convinced Sean , lack of fitness , and or conditioning is detremental to a boxer , . and definetly exposes you to harm , Don't think you will get too many who have laced up the gloves or been in close contact sparring and boxers in the gym that will disagree with me ...
How a fully fit, conditioned Dave Allen would of done in his carreer who knows , but one things for sure i think a fully fit and conditioned Dave throughout his carreer would of been better certainly no worse

Thanks Coneye really appreciate the response

Dave Allen set for ‘world-class’ opponent in May

Dave Allen is to fight a “world-class” heavyweight by the end of May, according to his trainer and manager Jamie Moore.

The 33-year-old Allen responded to his defeat in November by Arslanbek Makhmudov by stopping Karim Berredjem in February, and his promoters Matchroom are preparing another big fight for him against either China’s Zhilei Zhang or another leading heavyweight.

Allen revived his career in May 2025 when he stopped his fellow Englishman Johnny Fisher, and despite the defeat by Makhmudov – who on April 11 fights Tyson Fury – Moore believes he has “another three or four fights left” and is continuing to improve.

It also seems likely that a third fight with Fisher is in his longer-term future, but until then Moore expects him to remain at a higher level, and he told BS: “Through Dave’s popularity, and Eddie’s new-found love for him, in the second coming, he really wants to try and make a play for it for him, which I’m glad about, ‘cause Dave’s probably only got another three or four fights left in him, and then he’ll be done.

“He’s promised me again 100 per cent to training camp. There’s another world-class fighter maybe in the mix as well, so there’s a couple of names bouncing about, but it looks like, towards the end of May, we’re gonna be in a proper fight again.

“I like either of those fights. Talking about the Zhang fight, as good as he is – Zhang’s a world-class fighter; he’s big; he’s a southpaw – he’s getting on now. He’s dangerous for three or four rounds, and then he starts to struggle, and Dave – could he be conditioned a bit more in terms of his weight? Absolutely. [But] his fitness is getting better every time.

“He’s training, back to back on camps, every time now, so his conditioning’s getting better and better – bearing in mind, this is really only two years in. He should be 15 years in. I’m trying my best to get him there and he’s on it. He’s on board with it now. He knows he’s near the finishing line.

“If we get the absolute best version of Dave Allen, in front of Zhang, for instance – or anybody else – he can win those fights. He now knows, watching the Makhmudov fight back, that he could have won that fight.”

Moore is saying May now

May not be Zhang. but another 'world class' opponent..

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑09 Mar 2026, 06:54 Moore is saying May now

May not be Zhang. but another 'world class' opponent..

Who else would Allen think he could exploit somehow? I know he mentioned Wilder before but he's in with Chisora.

Does he think Joyce or Pulev's age or chin are exploitable (they're not by Allen at this stage).

Rematch Vs Dillian Whyte? Possible given how ridiculously bad he looked against Itauma but Allen isn't Itauma. I'd probably favour Allen there though.

Rematch Vs Luis Ortiz? It's possible and at that age you wouldn't count out Allen winning.

I'm not sure who else might have been considered world class that Allen could see himself even coming close to beating.

Could he consider Charles Martin as formerly world class because he held a belt?

Whyte makes sense for lots of reasons. Whyte was happy to avenge his defeat against an absolutely shot Povetkin, so maybe Allen can get his revenge against an absolutely shot Whyte.

I just think some fighters are what they are and will always come in poor shape. Frankie Gavin was a good example. Too lazy to make 135 and made every excuse in the book for not making it. Meanwhile you have Ricky Burns with a fraction of his talent eeking out a world class career by having little more than spartan like discipline. You could never get Gavin to take it as seriously as he should have and probably the same with Allen. It's a mental flaw in their make up but you see it at the highest level too. Michael Dokes was some fighter if he could have stayed away from things outside the ring. Bowe never turned down a fast food order. Hatton was simply unable to maintain a weight and would blow up between every fight. The list is endless but Allen has definitely taken his fair share of punishment and I would worry about him in 10-20 years time. Someone like Price took some shellackings but he was usually stopped quickly so you hope he doesn't start having problems later in life but someone absorbing punches for long periods like Allen is definitely worrying. I don't think he fancies taking too many more beatings as we saw him pulling out vs Frazer.

I really dont like this fight, and given all the grief conor benn has received recently, it truly highlights how promoters dont give a fornicate for the boxers life after they have been proved useful and can no longer earn them a buck.

Whyte is the fight I would want for him…

2 names. Hard to predict, winner could fight Zhang.

Sounds like they've thought better of Zhang, and I'd agree with that. I think Allen might be a good test for Torrez, or maybe Joshua fancies a durable confidence booster with Fury in mind.

Wouldn't like to see Joyce-Allen for health reasons.

joshj909 wrote: ↑09 Mar 2026, 09:48

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑09 Mar 2026, 06:54 Moore is saying May now

May not be Zhang. but another 'world class' opponent..

Who else would Allen think he could exploit somehow? I know he mentioned Wilder before but he's in with Chisora.

Does he think Joyce or Pulev's age or chin are exploitable (they're not by Allen at this stage).

Rematch Vs Dillian Whyte? Possible given how ridiculously bad he looked against Itauma but Allen isn't Itauma. I'd probably favour Allen there though.

Rematch Vs Luis Ortiz? It's possible and at that age you wouldn't count out Allen winning.

I'm not sure who else might have been considered world class that Allen could see himself even coming close to beating.

Could he consider Charles Martin as formerly world class because he held a belt?

Big Baby Miller

I've heard Hrg mentioned. Bad fight if true.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑14 Mar 2026, 10:28 I've heard Hrg mentioned. Bad fight if true.

That's a terrible fight for Allen if that's true. Guaranteed to lose a wide decision.

Miller or Zhang be lot better than Hrgovic
Be an easy Euro title fight too as the current champ is beatable