Sheffield, England – Arslanbek Makhmudov has played down his opponent Dave Allen’s win that spring-boarded his career ahead of their bout Saturday.
Makhmudov and Allen will square off at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena in a heavyweight dustup that will likely propel the winner towards the big names of the blue riband division. Makhmudov has competed at a much higher level than Allen, whose best win on paper remains his fifth-round stoppage of Johnny Fisher back in May.
Russia’s Makhmudov brings with him a host of high-level amateur fights in the World Series of Boxing and has also competed against some of the division’s best – although he has fallen twice, once against Agit Kabayel in 2023, and then against Guido Vianello a year later.
Despite Makhmudov’s vast edge in experience, he is not underestimating Allen.
“He's a good boxer, has a good body punch, and overhand [right],” Makhmudov told BoxingScene. “Not a bad boxer; I can't say a great boxer. But I can say a great boxer about myself actually. Every boxer has strong sides and weak sides, but Saturday night we'll see all the weak sides and strong sides.”
Allen’s career looked dead and buried before he dismantled Fisher back in May. However, Makhmudov was not as impressed by that win as most onlookers.
“Not a bad performance, but I'm not Johnny Fisher — I'm Arsenadek Makhmudov,” he said of Allen’s win.
That win over Fisher has made Allen the favorite with the bookies and many fans across the United Kingdom.
“People can think whatever they want, but Saturday we'll see who wins,” said Makhmudov.
But what if the Russian was to fall to the in-form Allen?
“I don't think about that,” he said of the concept of defeat.
