Matchroom CEO Frank Smith says heavyweight Dave Allen could take his career to another level to fight one of their own “top 10” fighters with a victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday evening, October 11.
The 10 most essential dreams and illusions?
Smith didn’t name any top fighters for Allen (24-7-2, 19 KOs) to fight, but options are confined. You can count the top money-making players on one hand, and those are guys who probably wouldn’t be interested in Allen. It would look bad if they reduced their talent so significantly.
“Dave Allen can take himself to a completely different level in the sport with Saturday’s victory,” said Frank Smith, Matchroom CEO DAZN Boxing about what is at stake for Dave Allen if he defeats Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday.
Why large names don’t bite
If Allen wins on Saturday, it could open the door to a fight against one of the contenders. However, it is unlikely that he will be able to get any of the true top fighters like Moses Itauma, Joseph Parker or Anthony Joshua to fight. These guys won’t look in Allen’s direction because he would still be viewed as a national-level player.
The fighters Allen could potentially face will throw him back to where he came from. I’m talking about these guys:
- Lawrence area
- Zhilei Zhang
- Leaflet
- Guido Vianello
- Richard Torrez Jr.
Usyk, Joshua & Co: They are out of their league
Allen is unlikely to beat any of these fighters, and the result may be unfavorable to him. He wants Deontay Wilder, but the former WBC champion is looking for something more essential. In an interview this week, Wilder hinted at a large fight and didn’t talk about Allen. This would be more of a lateral move for Deontay against his last opponent, Tyrell Herndon.
“He puts himself in a position to face any of the top 10 fighters. But it has to be as an opponent because with the same commercial value as Dave, he sells more tickets than some of the top 10 fighters,” Smith said.
Wood’s Take: Keep it at home, not delusional
It sounds great what Frank is saying, but it’s not realistic for Matchroom to bring in one of the top heavyweights to fight Dave Allen. No matter how well “The White Rhino” does against Makhmudov, top players like Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, Parker and Itauma will be out of reach. A fight with either of these guys would be terrible for Allen and it would be bad for the fans.
Watching Allen get crushed by one of these four heavyweights wouldn’t be entertaining, especially if someone had to pay to watch the spectacle on pay-per-view. It wouldn’t be worth the investment. In terms of opponent, a better option for Allen would be his next fight against Derek Chisora if all goes well against Makhmudov. Chisora is 41 years ancient and ready to retire. He would be perfect for Allen. Both warhorses could attack in front of a gigantic crowd in London.
“He can put himself in a position for any of these fights, any of these large names, and he will get those fights. But he has to pass a tough test,” Smith said.
Ken Woods was a senior writer in Boxing News 24 since 2013, covering sports from every angle. With years of reporting from the ring, he delivers fight news, results and analysis that cuts through the noise. Ken’s work consistently focuses on champions, challengers and prospects, giving fans a piercing and learned view of the global boxing scene.