Dave Allen knows better than most what it’s like to be hit by Arslanbek Makhmudov and has now given a warning to Tyson Fury before they come to blows later in 2026.
Fury has been out of action for well over 12 months now. His last fight was a second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024, six months after the first. He retried shortly after that but is now back in the gym in earnest and having one last tilt at the top as he approaches 40 years of age.
For his comeback in April, he has chosen the imposing Russian Makhmudov, who has never won a world title but last time out beat ‘The White Rhino’ after gathering an early storm.
Speaking on his own YouTube channel, the famously down-to-earth and honest Allen admitted Makhmudov hit him like no one else ever has.
“He’s a very powerful man to be honest. I’ve never been hit as hard as that. Just punching through the gloves. I thought he’d knock my teeth out at one point.”
He also explained that the Russian never lost any of that power as the fight went on.
“His power weren’t diminishing. That was a bit of an issue for me. He were blowing a bit, he was holding, but every f****ing punch was the same, and I thought f***k me.”
Makhmudov has been stopped to the body by Agit Kabayel, so that could be something that ‘The Gypsy King’ could look to exploit once the first bell sounds.
