Everyman David Allen knocks out favored Johnny Fisher

“I’m the fattest, hardest man you’ll ever see.”

So said David Allen after knocking out Johnny Fisher at the Copper Box Arena last weekend.

Fisher would agree.

Allen fought the popular and undefeated Fisher in a rematch. He’d lost their first fight, even though many, this writer included, had him winning. Allen wasn’t supposed to win that fight – or the rematch, honestly.

Crowd pleaser Fisher was moving up, while Allen had tumbled off the peddle years ago.

Fisher,26, grew up in a boxing family. He took up the sport late, switching between rugby and boxing. He drifted away from the sweet science, but sparring heavyweight contender Joe Joyce reignited Fisher’s desire.

A short amateur career led to his professional debut in 2021 at Wembley Arena. Fisher stopped Matt Gordon (2-5-1) in the opening heat. He scored knockouts in 11 of his next 12 fights.

Fisher was big, brawny, and powerful.

He was also awkward, amateurish, and limited.

No matter. Boxing fans love the home run hitter, and the likable Fisher delivered – that is, until he met David Allen.

David Allen? Even his name doesn’t sound like a boxer. More like a comedian, which in some ways, Allen is.

“I am a lazy person,” said Allen several years ago. “When I get in the gym, nobody trains harder than me – it’s getting to the gym.”

Honest to a fault.

Allen turned professional after 10 amateur bouts. He won his first nine fights until Dillian Whyte took his 0. Allen spent the day of the Whyte fight betting thousands on the horses. “I went into the arena,” Allen said in an article on squaremile.com. “Knowing full well that most of the money I was getting wasn’t going to be mine after the fight.”

He was stopped in his next fight. Gambling had a grip on him. The addiction got so bad that a broke, desperate Allen tried to take his own life in 2015.

Allen was 23. He regrouped, sought counselling, and won two fights before losing a close decision to Lenroy Thomas for the Commonwealth Boxing Council Heavyweight title. He soldiered on, getting stopped by Tony Yuka, and, two months later, shocking undefeated Nick Webb. Allen lost the first couple of heats, but in round three, his money punch, the overhand right, landed perfectly. Webb went down and couldn’t get back up.

He pulled off another shocker when he stopped favored Lucas Browne with a perfect left hook to the body. Allen fought Big David Price three months later. By the 10th round, he was a punching bag. He retired, but it didn’t take.

He was back seven months later. In 2023, in what many considered his last hurrah, Frazier Clarke stopped Allen due to a perforated eardrum.

“I could have given up lots of times,” Allen said.”But if I’m good at anything, it’s hanging in there when times are tough.”

Hang around, he did. Allen won a few fights and faced Fisher for the first time at the Kingdome Arena in Riyadh last year. Fisher looked good for almost five rounds. Allen floored him and rallied, but the judges gave Fisher the split nod.

Alen was disappointed but also upbeat after the bout.

“Something just clicked that night [against Fisher],” Allen said several months ago.”I don’t know what it was. It clicked on the way to the ring and I really enjoyed the 10 rounds we had…I’ve never actually looked forward to a fight. This one can’t come quick enough.”

The rematch went down last weekend. The first few rounds were like the first fight. Fisher was boxing pretty well. His corner told him to keep believing in what he was doing. Allen, unworried, stalked. In round four, he upped the ante. The pressure was getting to Fisher, as were Allen’s punches.

Fisher was down in round five and knocked out a few seconds later.

Dave Allen, the consummate everyman, had won his first title.

“This means everything to me,” Allen said after the fight. “I’ve been written off so many times. You know what it means? The belt, everything, my kids.”