Dave Allen Gets His Hometown Night Against Filip Hrgovic

Dave Allen is getting the night he has chased for years, headlining in Doncaster in front of his own crowd. The catch is the opponent waiting for him is Filip Hrgovic, and that changes the feel of it straight away.

Allen, 34, has done his part to get here. The Johnny Fisher rivalry gave him a second run, and he made sure it counted by settling it inside five rounds after the first fight left questions. A quick finish in February kept him active and visible, and now the reward is a stadium main event in his hometown, something that has oddly been missing from his career despite how long he has been around.

Filip Hrgovic is a brutal choice for a homecoming celebration. Hrgovic isn’t coming to play the supporting role in a feel-good British story. Hrgovic has been operating at a level that usually stops stories like this. Hrgovic is a technical, heavy-handed puncher who specializes in ruining prospects and veterans alike.

He has gone through British heavyweights in recent fights, beating Joe Joyce and David Adeleye, and he was close enough to the title picture before falling short against Daniel Dubois. That is not the profile of a soft touch brought in to extend a feel-good run.

You have the atmosphere and the local hero finally getting his flowers, but he is facing a man who represents a stylistic and physical ceiling. It’s a massive gamble for Allen. He has the moment he’s chased for years, but he has to go through a world-class operator to actually enjoy it.

While Allen is tough and has that “Doncaster de-fribrillator” overhand right, he has struggled when the level of opposition jumps. Hrgovic is coming off fights with Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce; he is used to seeing much faster and more powerful shots than what Allen typically offers.

The reality is that Allen is likely getting this fight because of his popularity and the ticket-selling power of a homecoming in Donny. For Hrgovic, it is stay-busy work to get back into the win column. For Allen, it is the biggest payday and stage of his life, but physically, it is a dangerous assignment. He’ll need more than just heart and a home crowd to keep Hrgovic off him for twelve rounds.