Boxing: David Allen ready for battle with mind, body and turkey

There is a big foe on the horizon David Allen is determined to meet with his most serious face on '“ Christmas.
David AllenDavid Allen
David Allen

Not that the Conisbrough heavyweight is saying bah humbug to the festivities.

He just knows what the excesses of the Christmas period may do in his battle to get in fighting shape.

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'Christmas is coming which is scary for my weighing scales," he told the Free Press.

'I just need to be sensible until the New Year if I don't fight on December 22.'

Being sensible is the order of the day for boxing's biggest joker.

He cut a frustrated figure after stopping Ariel Esteban Bracamonte in Manchester on Saturday night in what was a tougher than expected fight.

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Allen bemoaned his lack of fitness and the knock-on effect of the fight being much more difficult that it needed to be against the tough Argentinian.

'He was 100 times better than I expected.

'It was a really hard night's work. I made it harder than it needed to be but that's just what I do, isn't it.

'It's kind of my thing to make hard work of it.

'A win is a win and it was a pretty entertaining fight.

'I want to entertain and win '“ in that order as well.

'It is all about the win but I love to entertain.

'I'll be having a bit of time off now and I'll probably give both the December shows a miss and aim for the British and Commonwealth titles early next year.'

Allen had been advertised to fight on Matchroom Boxing's show at the Sheffield Arena on December 8 but a perforated ear drum suffered in the Bracamonte fight means he is ruled out.

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He may yet fight on December 22 at London's O2 Arena but believes a rest could be just as good an option.

'There's a chance for December 22 but it just depends on how I feel,' he said.

'I'll have a week off and see.

'There's some changes that need to be made and I'm not sure they can be made in time for December 22.

'After the year I've had, I've had some hard fights, it might be for the best that I have a little rest.'

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Allen is keen to instigate change in training and admits that may involve changing the team around him.

But he says he has realised ultimately his performances and fitness levels are dictated by he himself - and he sees the positives in that.

'My training needs to change,' he said. 'If that's a new trainer or whatever I'm not sure.

'It's a possible change of training team.

'Stop taking fights on short notice would be a great start.

'In terms of my boxing ability, everything you can't teach is there.

'It's all up to me.

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'It's nice to be in the position were I know if I put the graft in then the rewards are there.

'I need to find it in myself and maybe someone new to get it out of me.

'I'll have to see what happens.'

As he pushes towards domestic and international honours, Allen is well aware tougher tests than Bracamonte will stand in his way.

But he is confident he has the skill and natural ability within him to deal with those test.

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'I'm going to have to fight a lot better boxers than him,' he said.

'They're all that strong, tough and powerful at that level.

'The nice thing is that inside I know I can do it.

'Each fight I know I'm getting better.'

Allen was the subject of some criticism for the amount of shots he took against Bracamonte but says tightening up his defences is not a priority.

"People can say that I get hit too much but I don't care if I get hit one million times as long as I stick that one on that matters,' he said.

'Winning is the only thing that matters to me. 

'People say I need to think about my health and things like that '“ I don't care about anything other than winning and doing the best that I can.

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'I don't care about what happens to me, just winning whatever the cost.'

Though Christmas has yet to come, talk of aspirations for the New Year has already begun.

As well as title glory, Allen is eyeing up the opportunity to fight on the next Anthony Joshua bill at Wembley Stadium and faces seeing a former world champion in the opposite corner.

'I'd love the Lucas Browne fight at Wembley,' he said.

'Maybe I can get one in late January and then look at that one.'