Dave Allen knocked out Johnny Fisher with a brutal left hook at the end of round five, scoring a measure of justice and revenge for the controversial loss to Fisher last December in Riyadh.
Today’s fight in Manchester saw Fisher (13-1, 11 KO) starting well enough, working off the back foot, but Allen (24-7-2, 19 KO) was able to clearly hurt Fisher to the body as the fight went along.
Fisher went down late in the fifth round, but did get back up. Referee Marcus McDonnell could probably have stopped it there, as Fisher just did not look good on his feet, but the official gave Fisher the chance to see out the round.
He didn’t, as Allen crushed him with a left hook that saw the towel fly in from Fisher’s corner, and the fight would have been over there even if it hadn’t.
The 33-year-old Allen really doesn’t have huge upside left in his career, more likely than not, and the story of these fights probably focuses more on just how limited Fisher, a popular ticket-seller, really is.
“I’ve been written off so many times, but I knew I had ability. At the right level, this level, I’m a handful,” Allen said with his usual refreshing honesty. “(Fisher) over-exaggerated his movement, which worked against him. I’ve got experience, I know the game inside-out. He’s tough, he’s strong, he’s got all the attributes, but I’ve had 30 more fights, basically.”
Allen also commented on not celebrating when he scored the knockout blow, saying that he considers Fisher a friend.
“Johnny Fisher’s my friend, and I’ve said all through this thing he’s my friend,” he said. “He’s my friend. He’s a very good friend of mine, the nicest kid in the world. If my son (grows up to be) half the man Johnny Fisher is now, I’ll be over the moon. I mean that. I was respectful all the way, he’s my mate.”
Allen also said he won’t do a trilogy fight for Fisher’s sake. “I wouldn’t allow it to happen, because it’s not in his best interests,” he stated. “There’s lots of fights out there for me. … I like boxing at my level. It’s good. Competitive fights, I win some, I lose some. This is what it’s all about.”
Allen said the British title could be on his radar.
Kieron Conway added the previously vacant British middleweight to the Commonwealth title he held coming in, stopping Gerome Warburton in the fourth round.
Here’s the finish that saw Conway go to 23-3-1 (6 KO), while Warburton fell to 15-2-2 (2 KO):
Two other middleweights, both prospects, also were victorious on the night.
Jimmy Sains (10-0, 9 KO) had to go the distance for the first time, winning a near-shutout over Gideon Onyenani (7-5, 0 KO) over 10 rounds, and George Liddard (12-0, 7 KO) had too much firepower for Aaron Sutton (19-2, 3 KO), dropping the latter three times en route to a fifth round stoppage when the towel flew in from Sutton’s corner.
Liddard’s win was a British title eliminator, so we did get the set-up for Conway vs Liddard tonight, if that is what’s next.
