Dave Allen will step into a professional boxing ring for the 33rd time in London on Saturday night, but this is all very new for him.
The 33-year-old ‘White Rhino’ from Doncaster is going through a completely unusual fight week as he prepares to face Johnny Fisher in their eagerly-awaited rematch at London’s Copperbox Arena on Saturday night (live on DAZN). For the first time, he is looking forward to the fight.
Allen says he never actually wanted to get into the sport of boxing as a pro, but he says it was vastly preferable to actual work.
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Speaking at the final pre-fight press conference, he said: “This is probably the first fight I’ve ever looked forward to really from starting out as a kid. I never really wanted to box, but I wanted to box more than I wanted to go to work.
Allen on boxing career
“So I went to the boxing gym like my Dad did, I did alright, and before you know it I’m boxing Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, and it became unenjoyable as I was boxing the best Heavyweights in the world as a novice, and it got really hard, I won a few and lost a few, and I completely fell out of love with it by the time the first fight with Johnny came around.
“But something just clicked that night, I don’t know what it was. I really enjoyed the 10 rounds we had, but at times I really didn’t. It’s taken me 17 years to think ‘I’ve got half an idea of what I am doing here’. This can’t come quick enough, and I can’t wait to get in there and box.”
The first meeting with Fisher, on the Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 undercard in Riyadh in December, was a real cracker. Allen would eventually lose by the narrowest of split decisions, but he took ‘The Romford Bull’ out to very deep waters before eventually coming up just short.
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That night was the first time he had Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis in his corner, and the relationship seems to be a massive shot in the arm for the popular Yorkshire star.
“I’ve been with Jamie and Nigel properly since October, I was straight back in there after the first fight. I’ve been a bit hit-and-miss with the food, but I enjoyed Christmas. Pat Brown is in the gym, and I have to show him who the man is on a daily basis, so I push myself and this is the right level. In the first fight, if Johnny is very good, I probably get beat and if he’s not, I win the fight. The first fight showed we’re on the same level, it was really competitive, and the second one is about if Johnny has improved past me or if the activity and staying in the gym will see me over the line.”
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Allen has been in with some properly elite names down the years, including Luis Ortiz and Dillian Whyte among others. So it’s eminently fair that he says this is not a step up for him. He has other reasons for wanting to prove that as well – thanks to a new bathroom development at Chez White Rhino.
“I’ve lost seven times so I would be a fool to sit here and say I can’t lose. But I’ve lost to an Olympic gold medalist, two Olympic bronze medalists, two World title challengers, I’ve not lost to mugs. Johnny is a good fighter, but I think I am getting better, as mad as that may seem.
“I sent the missus house shopping and we’re looking for ones with en-suites, I can’t believe it, we’re going to get an en-suite, so I need to keep winning and I’m just enjoying my life, I never thought life would be this good and I’d enjoy boxing so much. So yes, I think I’ll win on Saturday night but I’m not a fool, I’ve lost seven times, there’s endless possibilities.”
Away game for ‘White Rhino’
Fisher will have his ‘Romford Bull Army’ in full attendance on Saturday night as around 8000 fans turn it into the ‘Copperbosh’ for one night only. Allen though will have his own fan club on hand, though somewhat smaller.
“I’ve got about 73 people coming down from Doncaster so it’s going to be bouncing in there for me. I’ve boxed everywhere. I boxed Dillian in Leeds, remember that? I was s****ing myself when he walked to the ring. Tony Yoka in France, they booed me over there, so I’ve seen it all. If Johnny is better than me, he wins, if I’m better than him, I win.
“I’m looking forward to the crowd, the atmosphere and experiencing all of that, but when the bell goes it’s just me and him. There’s not another fella I would want to do this with, and I want to set up the trilogy, and to do that, I’ve got to win so I’m very confident of doing that.
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“I think I probably win on points which is very boring isn’t it! We’ll see how he approaches it; I would have won the first one in this shape, but he’ll be better now. I’m fitter and sharper, but he’ll be better for the experience, so I’ll do what I always do – I’ll come out in the first round and throw three punches, I’ll throw six in round two, seven in round three, four in round four then we’ll go to work and throw 12 punches a round. We know that if I hit him, I can hurt him, but he’s a tough fella, a good fighter, he’ll be improved. I’m pretty confident I can do the job.”
When is Fisher vs Allen 2?
The bout takes place on Saturday May 17 at the Copperbox Arena in London.
Ring walks for the main event are expected at around 10pm local time, which is 11pm CET. If you are watching in the US it is 5pm Eastern Standard Time or 2pm Pacific Time on the West Coast.
