David Allen Off Liverpool Show; Title Clash Set on Brook-Spence

By Elliot Foster

David Allen will wait until next month for his next fight.

The Conisbrough heavyweight, 25, had been set to return to the ring this Saturday (April 22) at Liverpool’s ECHO Arena.

But Allen, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn, has secured a major title shot and wanted to focus on his sparring and training before the fight.

‘The White Rhino’ had been scheduled to do six or eight rounds on Merseyside, exclusively live on Sky Sports, as part of the undercard to Martin Murray’s mouthwatering middleweight match-up against Gabriel Rosado before featuring on the undercard of Kell Brook’s IBF welterweight title defence at Bramall Lane in Sheffield against mandatory challenger Errol Spence.

Brook-Spence, on May 27, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office, will be the next card on which we’ll see Allen (11-2-1, 8 KOs).

Boxing Scene understands that Allen will fight an opponent to be confirmed for the vacant Commonwealth heavyweight title on a card which will feature a second world title fight and a plethora of undercard showings.

In terms of the Liverpool show, a few changes have been made to the line-up ahead of fight night.

Steve Brogan has been added to the card and he will rematch Henry Janes, while Commonwealth Games gold medallist Scott Fitzgerald has been ruled out of the show after suffering what his manager Steve Wood described as damaged finger ligaments.

Elsewhere, Rocky Fielding and John Ryder will meet for the vacant British super-middleweight title and Tom Farrell defends his WBA International super-lightweight title against Tommy Carus.

Sean Dodd faces Lee Appleyard in a battle for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight crown, while there is action for Paul Economides, Ged Carroll and Ryan Mulcahy as Olympian Joe Cordina makes his professional debut ahead of a display on the Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko card on April 29 at Wembley Stadium.

In other news

Jake Hanney will return to the ring after his first pro defeat next month.

The East Wall super-lightweight was stopped in the sixth by Tyrone McKenna in an exciting Celtic title fight in Belfast, at the Waterfront Hall, last month.

And the 27-year-old Dubliner will fight in his home city, at the National Stadium, on May 27, as part of the ‘Celtic Clash Two’ card, promoted by Leonard Gunning and Tony Davitt.

Moldovan-born Victor Rabei is to enter the paid game with Red Corner Promotions

The Dublin-based fighter, who has recently been sparring British super-lightweight champion Tyrone Nurse, is set to make his professional debut on June 24 at the National Stadium.

Dubliner Stevie Collins Jr. (10-0-1, 4 KOs) will box Mullingar’s Paddy McDonagh (10-2) for the vacant Irish light-heavyweight title on June 24 at the National Stadium. A showdown for the vacant Irish middleweight belt, between Luke Keeler and Darren Cruise, has already been confirmed for that card, which is being hosted by Red Corner Promotions.