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Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
From wearing shiny gold briefs to a weigh-in, to a very public visit to Babestation and drinking Diet Coke in between rounds, Dave Allen is not your average heavyweight boxer.
The ‘Doncaster De La Hoya’ - one of his many nicknames ('White Rhino' is another) - is one of the most-loved men in British boxing, with a back-story every bit as colourful as his monikers. It is one of the reasons why his headline debut at the O2 Arena on Saturday, when he fights former WBA World heavyweight champion Lucas Browne, will draw a crowd out of step with his record in the ring.
Yet what truly distinguishes him from the crowd is his honesty, which can verge on the brutal.
“People look at professional boxers and think of Mike Tyson back in 1987, going around looking mean and moody. I’m probably the least intimidating man in the world,” Allen tells The Telegraph.
“I’m quite geeky, I like Pokémon, I don’t really leave the house very much. In my spare time I watch videos of wrestling from 1998-2001. That’s what I like to do. That along with my Pokémon cards and my Gameboy. That’s what I am. I have no fear of telling people what I am and what I’m not.”
https://s.yimg.com/it/api/res/1.2/Pj...65368ac78fbb2e
Allen's attitude is reflected in his career. He has taken fights against elite operators in Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz and Tony Yoka, all on short notice with little chance of any success. He was considering retirement when Eddie Hearn offered him a fight against fellow Brit Nick Webb in July 2018, also at the O2. It appeared to be a hiding to nothing, until Allen landed a spectacular knockout on his opponent to lift the roof off the stadium.
Allen's honesty extends to life away from the ring. most notably the gambling and depression which have blighted him throughout his adult life.
“Before July 2016 when I boxed Dillian Whyte I couldn’t afford to eat, I couldn’t afford to do anything,” he recalls. “2015 was one of the lowest points of my life. My gambling addiction got really on top of me, it was terrible. And I wasn’t making money through boxing. I’d only had four or five fights out of 11 that I’d even been paid for.
“Most boxers say they’d be dead or in jail without the sport. For me, I think I’d be doing 40 hours a week in a warehouse somewhere, miserable, with about six kids by four different women. And through that maybe I'd be dead as well.”
Allen’s battle with mental health is ongoing. As recently as February he took to Twitter to reassure people he was “healthy and well after a testing few days”.
“There used to be a stigma around mental health in sports. We are becoming better and more open, but there’s still a long way to go.
“The human brain is a very funny thing. I’m very much like a woman with a menstrual cycle. Three weeks off and then four or five days on. That’s very much like my brain. My body and brain have their little moment and then I’m OK again for three or four weeks.
“Things now and again do get tough for no apparent reason, that’s just because my brain will say it’s coming. But I’m not ashamed now to tell everyone else what I am. I’m in the best place I’ve been in for a long time because I know I’m only three or four days from being back to normality.”
Allen believes structure and routine are key to avoiding slipping back into depression but does not profess to be a changed man. He is open to the fact that “once a gambler you’re always a gambler.”
But what the sport of boxing has given Allen cannot be underestimated. “All I’ve wanted since I was a little kid was to be liked and loved by everybody. Through boxing I’ve gained the love of thousands and thousands of strangers, some of which have become friends.
“So, I could win a world title but that night in Newcastle when everyone is singing “there’s only one Dave Allen” and that night at the O2 when I beat Nick Webb, the joy I’ve created through being myself and the love that’s been given to me means more to me than any money or belt I could ever win.”
Allen is also very open about the tumultuous relationship he has with his dad, who was also a pro boxer, admitting he has not spoken to him for five months.
“We have a lot of the same tendencies and problems. Where I’m at right now I don’t need him to like me, he’ll always love me because he’s my father, but he doesn’t need to like me. The fact that I want him to respect me as a man and as a fighter is always there.
“Even now, when I go and fight Lucas Browne one of the thoughts in my mind will be ‘let’s go and make my Dad proud’.”
The dreams for Allen are to fill the ground of his home football club Doncaster Rovers, the Keepmoat Stadium, and to fight in the US.
In order to do that he has to beat Browne to set up a probable clash with Dereck Chisora in the summer.
“When the Lucas Browne fight got announced I said ‘This is it, let’s put it all in’. If I beat Lucas Browne I can possibly go on to never work again. If I don’t, then I know where I’m at, what level I’m at, and I learn to live with it. So, I’ve put everything into it.
“If I win those two fights I’ll have to be an exceptional fighter. Am I an exceptional fighter? All known evidence points to no. But stranger things have happened.”
Allen is determined to not be condemned to life as a likeable loser. On Saturday, he has his chance.
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/dav...110458495.html
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
This has ugly written all over it, hopefully Allen lands something big early ish, fairly likely since Browne is 40 and was always shit. Can anyone come up with a worse guy to ever hold a “world” HW title? I can think of lots of bad ones, but nobody who I wouldnt pick to beat Browne at the time they got the belt.
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Stumbled across Allen in his last fight on DAZN. Really funny and tough guy. I’ll be watching and rooting for him!
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hulk
Stumbled across Allen in his last fight on DAZN. Really funny and tough guy. I’ll be watching and rooting for him!
Lucas is shit, considered analysis.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Im hoping Dave beats the Gay biker.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Anna looking lovely as usual
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Connor Benn up first
Benn doing OK but it will go to points. He does not have his dads dynamite power.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Been a while since Townend has been on telly
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Joe Cordina v Andy Townsend on now
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Took Cordina all of a minute to figure out his distance, landed some heavy jabs in that, this is gunna be a tough night for Townend
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Cordina landing beautiful jabs to take the first round. Close round and good boxing from both.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Cordina has the faster hands and better skills to win the 2nd round. Still close.
2 nil Cordina
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Townend is the one trying to force the action but the quality from Cordina is showing, Cordina hasn't even broke into a sweat yet
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Cordina dominates round 3 with excellent combinations and effective punches knocking Townsend head back.
3 nil
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Cordina almost toying with Townsend now showing his class in round 4. He hurt Townsend at the end of the round.
4 nil
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Townsend coming forward and trying but still getting outboxed in round 5 but Cordina only starting to work late in the 5th round.
5 nil
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
This could be stopped at any time for me
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Cordina stops Townsend in the 6th round, dropping him 3 times mainly with body shots. An uppercut started the combinations and the quality finish from Cordina.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Never any question about that result.
On a completely unrelated note a bloke was shot and killed just a few roads away from me yesterday and I've just been reading about a 12 year old boy has been stabbed in the head just down the road from where me Mom n Dad live, fucking crazy times we are living in.
Anyways back to the boxing.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Groves and Froch commentating together and next to each other.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Groves and Froch commentating together and next to each other.
At the start of the show Anna asked them if they are friends now, Groves said 'yeah we've always been great friends, there has never been any bad blood between us, all that stuff before was just selling the fight' Froch stood there scowling at him.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
@Master you staying up for Bud v Khan?
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
I can't wait for Kelly to get in the ring with someone on his level to see how he does, he's just taking the piss out of this fella
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Forgot how awkward and unconventional Josh Kelly was. He really is the new Naz. Unreal talent wins the first round with ease.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
@
Master you staying up for Bud v Khan?
See how the night goes. New York is close so the time difference will not be that bad.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
I can't wait for Kelly to get in the ring with someone on his level to see how he does, he's just taking the piss out of this fella
You are right he is too cocky but at this level he can be.
Josh knocks down his opponent in the 2nd round.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
@
Master you staying up for Bud v Khan?
See how the night goes. New York is close so the time difference will not be that bad.
What time are we expecting the undercard to get started? I'll be staying up for it, I ain't gunna miss the chance to see Khan get KTFO
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Kelly needs to stop fucking about and wants to get back to boxing
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Kelly needs to stop fucking about and wants to get back to boxing
I am starting to hate Josh. What a cocky cunt. Wins 3rd round but taking the piss.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
@
Master you staying up for Bud v Khan?
See how the night goes. New York is close so the time difference will not be that bad.
What time are we expecting the undercard to get started? I'll be staying up for it, I ain't gunna miss the chance to see Khan get KTFO
3am but radio 5 say 4am.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
When Josh Kelly gets to work he is exceptional and wins round 4 with ease.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
@
Master you staying up for Bud v Khan?
See how the night goes. New York is close so the time difference will not be that bad.
What time are we expecting the undercard to get started? I'll be staying up for it, I ain't gunna miss the chance to see Khan get KTFO
3am but radio 5 say 4am.
That'll be the main event won't it?
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Josh trying to break his opponent down now, really sitting on his punches in round 5.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
@
Master you staying up for Bud v Khan?
See how the night goes. New York is close so the time difference will not be that bad.
What time are we expecting the undercard to get started? I'll be staying up for it, I ain't gunna miss the chance to see Khan get KTFO
3am but radio 5 say 4am.
That'll be the main event won't it?
Yes and you are right Khan should get stopped sometime in the fight.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Kelly is cut under the right eye
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Has he hurt his right hand? he isn't throwing it at all and I'm sure I saw him wince at the end of the 6th when he landed it
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Josh pushing forward in round 6 and piking on pressure against his undefeated opponent. Josh marked on his right eye from a clash of heads but won every round.
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Re: Dave Allen v Lucas Browne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Batman
Has he hurt his right hand? he isn't throwing it at all and I'm sure I saw him wince at the end of the 6th when he landed it
Josh still throwing the right hand?
Josh still winning round 7