Boxing: '˜Fat lad from Conisbrough' targets British title

He is the undisputed champion of the internet but David Allen is aiming for much more recognisable boxing titles.
David Allen fells Sheffield's David Howe in London. Picture: Lawrence LustigDavid Allen fells Sheffield's David Howe in London. Picture: Lawrence Lustig
David Allen fells Sheffield's David Howe in London. Picture: Lawrence Lustig

The Conisbrough heavyweight has built a strong online following due to his hilarious, often self-deprecating, posts on social media.

It was such a profile that almost certainly helped him insert himself into fights with top heavyweights Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz, both of which ended in defeat.

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And it is undoubtedly his profile which led Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn to target Allen for a special project.

Hearn is keen to keep Allen on track and guide him towards a British title in the coming months.

And the project is already off to a strong start with two stoppage wins coming in the past fortnight, with clocked up ring time of less than six minutes.

His latest saw him stop Sheffield’s David Howe inside two rounds on the undercard of the Tony Bellew-David Haye grudge match in London last weekend.

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And it was another step towards the British title he craves.

“If I don’t become a British or European champion, I’ll feel like I’ve underachieved because the ability is there,” he told the Free Press.

“I’ve sparred the world elite and got the better of some of the real top class heavyweights.

“I’ll be really disappointed if I don’t win a British title this year.”

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The 24-year-old’s social media presence has earned him more than 18,000 followers on Twitter and thousands of views on his daily Instagram live videos.

Such popularity continues to baffle the man known as the ‘White Rhino.’

He said: “That has got me where I am today.

“I seem to be pretty popular right now which is a difficult thing to get my head around really.

“I’m just a fat kid from Conisbrough. I don’t see anything amazing in me.

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“It amazes me that people have got such an interest and they’re buying tickets to see me, people I don’t even know.

“I’m confused and emotional at the same time about it.

“That is there now so I’ve got to use that as a platform.”

Allen suffers from depression which he admits has stuttered the progress of his career in the past.

His recent Instagram videos showing him training in his self-labelled ‘Shed ABC’ show Allen relaxed and enjoying his time.

“I’m happy,” he said. “The thing with me is it’s more of a mental thing than a physical thing.

“Physically it’s all there. It’s just which me is going to turn up on the day?”