What’s Next For Dave Allen?

Dave Allen knocked out Johnny Fisher in their rematch, raising questions over his next steps. 

Allen gained his revenge to stop Fisher in the fifth round after the controversial result in the first fight. Allen lost the first fight via a split decision, where most of the boxing community had him winning. With the win now under his belt, Allen has plenty of options. He could rematch Fisher to determine the outcome of the rivalry.

Eddie Hearn has said a rematch could happen, putting the onus on Fisher to decide if he wants to run things back again. Matchroom Boxing will also work closely with Allen, making it easier to make the fight. Allen was arguably not in the best shape, meaning his confidence will only increase in a third fight. 

“I can see the trilogy one day but not next. I’m pretty honest to the point where when you get a chance to run it back like we did, it’s like, ‘Should we have taken the rematch?’. I still think the answer is ‘Yes’ because we won the first fight,” Hearn stated

Options

Alternatively, Allen could target a bout with Derek Chisora. The latter is expected to box once more, having defeated Otto Wallin in his last fight. Chisora had called out Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois for his next fight. However, those two will face each other for the Undisputed Heavyweight Title. That opens the door for Allen since a fight with Chisora will sell out. It also gives Allen a chance to secure his best win against an ageing Chisora. 

Elsewhere, Allen could face off against David Adeleye. The latter holds the British Heavyweight Title, allowing Allen to secure a prestigious belt. Adeleye’s record stands at 14-1-0 record, with 13 wins by KO. He has stopped his last two opponents, with his only loss coming against Fabio Wardley. An Adeleye bout would test Allen’s credentials. 

There is also the opportunity to pursue a rematch with Dillian Whyte. They boxed in 2016 shortly after Anthony Joshua had knocked out Whyte. Despite having limited pro experience, Allen lasted the distance against a world-level contender. Whyte has arguably declined since then, having lost at the elite level. Defeats to Alexander Povetkin and Tyson Fury slowed down his momentum. While he has three wins on the spin, Whyte has not boxed elite names in those fights. Allen has plenty of options moving forward.