Dave Allen’s late-career renaissance may be just one (big) step away from the sort of narrative climax that boxing traditionally does best.
Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn made an appearance on the promotion’s “Flash Knockdown Podcast” on Thursday and announced that he has already contacted the representation of former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder to explore the possibility of a Wilder-Allen matchup.
First, though, is the small matter of Allen’s October 11 showdown against Arslanbek Makhumdov at Utilitia Arena in Sheffield, UK.
"I like the Deontay Wilder fight, personally,” Hearn said. “We’ve reached out to [Wilder manager] Shelly Finkel to talk about that, but let’s see what happens on October 11 first.
"If Dave Allen beats Makhmudov, he puts himself in line for some huge fights.”
Allen, 24-7-2 (19 KOs), who dropped back-to-back fights to Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz in 2016 before settling into a small-hall phase, breathed new life into his career in a gutsy loss to Frazer Clarke in 2023 and in his grudge-match knockout of Johnny Fisher in May.
Meanwhile, the 39-year-old Wilder, 44-4-1 (43 KOs), who has fallen to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang since his trilogy with Tyson Fury, is trying to learn whether he has anything left at the highest level of the heavyweight mountain. After his stoppage win over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in June, Wilder may be just the right man at the right time for Allen – and vice versa.
Hearn likes the matchup with the seasoned Makhmudov, a 20-2 (19 KOs) Canada-based Russian, as a sort of tester for Allen.
"It’s going to be a packed-out Utilita Arena in Sheffield,” Hearn said.
"It’s a massive night for Dave, and as I say, if he wins, he will waltz into the biggest fight of his career."
