“I don’t want to live a life of regret,” says Dave Allen. “I want to know how good I am.”
Twelve years on from his professional debut in December 2012, the 32-year-old heavyweight is taking on one of his toughest challenges yet in highly-rated British prospect Johnny Fisher.
After a devastating loss to Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke in September 2023, it was tough to see what the future held for Allen.
But victory over Fisher, who has won all his 12 fights, on 21 December in Saudi Arabia – on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch with Tyson Fury – could revive the Yorkshireman’s career again.
And not for the first time.
Allen has suffered defeats to top contenders like Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz, but upset Lucas Browne, who briefly held the WBA Regular title before failing a drug test.
“I fell short at the top level which I don’t mind saying,” he told BBC Sport. “I beat a former champion [in Browne] but he was past his best so I never knew how good I was.
“With Fisher I think the best version of me can beat this fella because he’s only a baby.”
With 31 fights under his belt, including 23 wins and six tough losses, Allen revealed what motivated him to carry on after starting his career with a six-round points win over Rolandas Cesna.
“It comes down to having no regrets,” he added. “People talk about money and all the rest of it, but my life is alright, I’m sound, I don’t need to box, I can go and do other things.
“My old man is 66, he used to be a boxer and I know he’s riddled with regret.
“I didn’t want to do that. I’d rather go and if I get beat then I know I wasn’t good enough.”
