Dave Allen ended all controversy from the first fight with Johnny Fisher via an emphatic knockout in the rematch.
Fisher had his hand raised in December when their first contest went the distance, a decision that most boxing fans felt should have gone the way of Allen.
Speaking on DAZN after the fight, former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew, said Fisher’s downfall was allowing Allen to push him back and control the pace.
“He tried to reserve himself but then the pressure was too much for him and Dave Allen old-manned Johnny Fisher tonight, that’s exactly what he did. He pressed him back and Johnny Fisher didn’t know what to do, he got moved around the ring too much and exerted far too much energy and it was inevitable from round four onwards I knew it was coming.
Johnny couldn’t maintain the pace and he couldn’t take the centre of the ring and he needed to own Dave Allen from the centre tonight in my opinion and he couldn’t do that.
You could see that Johnny was struggling with the pace, he was struggling to keep Dave off him. Even though Johnny was winning the rounds Dave was forcing the pressure and was getting to him. Johnny just wasn’t up to it tonight and it’s a very, very harsh lesson. It was a damaging loss, he took a lot of stuff tonight.”
On where Fisher goes from here, Bellew is struggling to see an obvious route back for the 26-year-old.
“I have no idea where Johnny goes from here because it’s such a long road back. Who does he come back against? His weaknesses and frailties have now been truly shown – he’s not composed when under attack and the defense game just isn’t there.
I just struggle to see a way back now, for me it’s a long road back for him.”
As for Allen, he is now back with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and will be looking for more big paydays before he hangs up the gloves.
