Dave Allen looked set to upset the odds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia against rising British heavyweight prospect Johnny Fisher on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch with Tyson Fury.
Allen’s last big night under the lights was a loss against Frazer Clarke in which he retired on his stool. He has had two low-key wins since. Fisher entered the ring 12-0 with 11 knockouts.
Pre-fight, Allen was an 8/1 underdog, 11/1 for the stoppage. He started slowly, catching some of Fisher’s work on the gloves but taking clean shots to the body. In the fifth, Fisher went low with a shot and, as the referee was telling him to keep his punches up, an irritated Allen threw a pitch perfect hook and scored the knockdown when he followed up.
What came after was largely a battle of the chins – both granite – in an entertaining slobberknocker. Fisher looked wobbled on numerous occasions from huge hooks and uppercuts delivered by a reinvigorated Allen, whose career has looked over on more than one occasion in the past.
‘The Romford Bull’ kept his technique but the punches did nothing to Allen, at least on the surface of it. Allen’s work, however, was damaging the younger man.
It was a fight of two halves that miraculously heard the final bell. Allen dropped to his knees and asked his friend and former trainer Darren Baker at ringside if he had won. He didn’t, at least on the cards. It was a split decision for Fisher with two scores of 95-94 in his favour and a 96-93 card for Allen.
Former world champion Sergio Mora immediately branded the decision ‘nonsense’ and fans on social media were quick to call it an ‘absolute disgrace’ and a ‘robbery.’ A rematch is deserved and warranted, as it seems Allen has missed out on the victory he has been searching for for some years now. If there is a promise of a return fight, it will do little for the 32-year-old tonight.
Speaking on social media, former Allen opponent Dillian Whyte called the result ‘bulls**t.’ It led Mick Conlan, who scored it by a few rounds to the Doncaster man, to call the sport ‘cruel.’ Trainer Dave Coldwell said the split decision was ‘bollocks’ and Charlie Edwards said the heavyweight has snatched form him a ‘career-defining moment.’
