Dave Allen has somehow done the impossible — he’s turned up to a weigh-in without looking like he’s just eaten his corner team. No kebab gut, no half-joking shrug, no “I’ve only trained three weeks” routine. The lad’s six pounds lighter, fresh from a Doncaster sunbed, and finally sporting abs instead of excuses.
But across from him stands Arslanbek Makhmudov — a human forklift with fists — and you’ve got to wonder if Allen’s been sniffing too many gloves to think this is a good idea.
It’s the full Dave Allen bingo: the working-class lad, the cult hero, the bloke who never says no even when he absolutely should. The one who trains half-hearted, eats full-hearted, and somehow ends up in headline fights streamed live on DAZN. Sheffield loves him for it. Even at the weigh-in, fans were shouting “Go on, Dave!” like it was a Friday night out rather than a fight. They know he’s walking into a war zone — but that’s half the fun.
Can Allen’s Iron Head Handle a Siberian Freight Train?
Makhmudov doesn’t box, he mauls. He’s not out there flicking jabs and looking slick — he’s out there trying to erase faces. You could park a van on his shoulders and he’d still swing punches like they’re shotputs.
Allen’s chin has seen more bombs than Hamas. He’s been belted by Whyte, battered by Ortiz, and still turns up smiling like it’s a pub quiz. But this? This is different.
Makhmudov isn’t throwing punches — he’s firing cannonballs. Every shot lands like it owes him money.
Allen says he’s serious this time: eating clean, sleeping early, meditating — yeah, sure, mate. We’ve heard that before. But there’s no faking courage, and Allen’s got plenty.
The problem is, so did the last few blokes who fought Makhmudov, and most of them left needing subtitles to speak. Agit Kabayel managed it, but Allen isn’t Kabayel.
My Take
Allen’s the same mad bastard we’ve always known — working-class warrior, pub comedian, and part-time miracle worker. He’s in shape, yeah. Motivated, sure. But let’s be real — he’s about to fight a bloke who looks like he could punch through a car door and then apologise to the car for wasting his time.
Still, you can’t not root for him, can you? He’s Dave Allen. If by some cosmic glitch he actually pulls this off, we’ll be naming pubs after him. And if he doesn’t — which, let’s be honest, is more likely — he’ll probably thank Makhmudov for rearranging his jaw, smile like it’s all part of the plan, and be halfway through a pint of Guinness before the post-fight interviews even start.
That’s Dave Allen — the people’s underdog, powered by sarcasm, stubbornness, and about three litres of Yorkshire tea. Either way, Sheffield will roar for him. They always do.
Sheffield Weigh-In Results
Arslanbek Makhmudov (261.1 lbs) vs Dave Allen (259.1 lbs) – WBA Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title
Bilal Fawaz (153.6 lbs) vs Junaid Bostan (153.8 lbs) – English Super Welterweight Title
Reece Bellotti (129.9 lbs) vs Josh Padley (129.5 lbs) – WBA International Super Featherweight Title
Paul Roberts (111.2 lbs) vs Hamza Uddin (111.6 lbs) – WBA International & English Flyweight Titles
Prelims (Live on DAZN at 5 PM ET / 10 PM UK)
Karl Sampson (141.2 lbs) vs Joe Howarth (139.6 lbs) – Lightweight, 6 rounds
Angelo Dragone (146.7 lbs) vs Joe Hayden (146.6 lbs) – Welterweight, 6 rounds
Khalid Graidia (177.2 lbs) vs Conner Tudsbury (180.7 lbs) – Light Heavyweight, 6 rounds
James Chereji (131.8 lbs) vs Ibraheem Sulaimaan (132.2 lbs) – Super Featherweight, 8 rounds
Venue: Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Streaming: Live on DAZN
Start Time: 5 PM ET (Prelims) / 7 PM ET (Main Card)
UK Time: 10 PM BST (Prelims) / 12 AM BST (Main Card)
