Dave Allen will rematch Johnny Fisher on Saturday night after their first fight ended in a controversial decision win for ‘The Romford Bull’.
Johnny Fisher was lucky to retain his perfect record after being dropped and beaten up in his last fight by Dave Allen, a seasoned heavyweight who’s shared the ring with some great fighters.
The fight marked a step-up for Fisher, who showed his resolve as he bit down on his gumshield despite a perforated eardrum and a knockdown against him, but ended in controversy as Allen just missed out on winning his first title.
Despite the loss, Allen is in a far better place mentally than he once was, when he was forced to face a fearsome powerhouse.
Dave Allen was knocked out by Luis Ortiz after struggling with gambling addiction
In a heartwarming clip shared to Instagram, Allen reflects upon a video he’d recorded years ago, speaking on his mental health and the issues he’s faced.
Allen, who spars Pat Brown, confessed that gambling was his biggest vice, stating: “I was a bad gambler, and at one point it nearly killed me.”
He even described the time a fight with Luis Ortiz materialized as a result of Allen needing the money:
“After the Dillian Whyte fight, I gambled the whole purse away in a week. The financial situation I was in meant I had to fight so I fought Luis Ortiz.”
Allen was 9-1-1 when he faced the 26-0 Ortiz, and was knocked out in the penultimate round.
Just two fights later, Ortiz faced Deontay Wilder. Ortiz dragged Wilder into deep waters, but ultimately lost via tenth-round KO.
Dave Allen has fought quite a few well-known heavyweights
Aside from Ortiz, Allen has shared the ring with many notable heavyweight opponents.
In 2016 he faced 17-1 Dillian Whyte, going the distance with him but losing a shut-out points decision.
He’s also faced Olympic Gold medalist Tony Yoka, whose career was derailed by Martin Bakole.
Allen knocked out Lucas Browne, a former world champion, in 2019, but lost to David Price one fight later.
Most recently, Allen lost to Frazer Clarke, who said he’s miles ahead of Fisher, in 2023, before a few in-between fights, and then Johnny Fisher.