'I don't want a life of regret' - Allen's back from boxing's brink

"I don't want to unrecorded a life of regret," says Dave Allen. "I want to cognize really bully I am."

Twelve years connected from his master debut successful December 2012, nan 32-year-old heavyweight is taking connected 1 of his toughest challenges yet successful highly-rated British imaginable Johnny Fisher.

After a devastating nonaccomplishment to Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke successful September 2023, it was reliable to spot what nan early held for Allen.

But triumph complete Fisher, who has won each his 12 fights, connected 21 December successful Saudi Arabia - connected nan undercard of Oleksandr Usyk's rematch pinch Tyson Fury - could revive nan Yorkshireman's profession again.

And not for nan first time.

Allen has suffered defeats to apical contenders for illustration Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz, but upset Lucas Browne, who concisely held nan WBA Regular title earlier failing a supplier test.

"I fell short astatine nan apical level which I don't mind saying," he told BBC Sport. "I hit a erstwhile champion [in Browne] but he was past his champion truthful I ne'er knew really bully I was.

"With Fisher I deliberation nan champion type of maine tin hit this fella because he's only a baby."

With 31 fights nether his belt, including 23 wins and six reliable losses, Allen revealed what motivated him to transportation connected aft starting his profession pinch a six-round points triumph complete Rolandas Cesna.

"It comes down to having nary regrets," he added. "People talk astir money and each nan remainder of it, but my life is alright, I'm sound, I don't request to box, I tin spell and do different things.

"My aged man is 66, he utilized to beryllium a boxer and I cognize he's riddled pinch regret.

"I didn't want to do that. I'd alternatively spell and if I get hit past I cognize I wasn't bully enough."

It tin beryllium highly frustrating being a instrumentality of nan 'Doncaster De La Hoya'.

After knocking retired nan unbeaten Nick Webb successful unthinkable manner successful 2018, optimism was connected nan emergence for Allen, but a gruelling back-and-forth brawl pinch Ariel Bracamonte group expectations backmost contempt picking up a stoppage victory.

Allen was afloat of disapproval for that capacity arsenic he recalled: "That was awful. Another wake-up telephone - really galore do I need?

"I was [tired] aft 1 round. No excuses. I was not fresh enough, not conditioned enough, I needed to return a bully look astatine myself."

Allen moreover announced his status successful 2020, citing problems pinch gambling and pursuing a strict boxing lifestyle.

Six years connected and he whitethorn yet beryllium taking his ain advice.

"This is nan champion training campy I've had by a agelong way," added Allen.

"When I comberan this opportunity I conscionable thought, moreover if it's excessively precocious and a batch of group deliberation it is, I'm not judge if it is moreover if I'm aged - I've comberan miles connected nan clock.

"I cognize I'm only 32 but I've been successful immoderate difficult fights. I thought, if I put 100% successful erstwhile I travel location [from training], I'll person nary regrets. I'm proud of myself because I didn't deliberation I could do it. The fare has been amended than ever.

"Like I say, it's ne'er 100%, I saw a Ferrero Rocher [chocolate] successful nan fridge nan different week and I had it. It's arsenic adjacent to 100% arsenic I tin do, truthful I'm happy pinch myself."

'The White Rhino' comes into nan bout successful Riyadh disconnected nan backmost of 2 mini hallway wins against fighters pinch 39 losses betwixt them.

Allen, who retired from nan Clarke conflict successful nan sixth information pinch a perforated eardrum, felt he "never turned up" successful that contest, but insisted he was "really excited" to look 25-year-old Fisher.

"After nan Frazer Clarke fight, I said if I was to spell into different large conflict past I would move up pinch nan anticipation of winning," added Allen.

"I would springiness each nan money backmost for that conflict now conscionable to erase it.

"It was conscionable 1 of them days erstwhile I wasn't there. Preparation wasn't there, I ne'er turned up. Mentally I wasn't there, I didn't really want to beryllium there, aforesaid pinch nan [David] Price conflict [in 2019].

"I'm fresh to conflict now and I haven't felt for illustration this since nan Browne fight. When you person difficult fights, it takes thing from you each time. I've not wanted to beryllium successful a conflict successful astir apt six years.

"This is nan first clip that youthful exuberance is backmost successful me. I'm really excited for it because I deliberation we will spot nan champion of me."