'Big John' Fisher believes Dave Allen could buckle under the pressure at the Copper Box Arena

'Big John' Fisher believes his son can take advantage of Dave Allen's 'weak mind' as the domestic heavyweight rivals get set to reacquaint themselves inside the ring for a second time on Saturday night.

The Matchroom star edged to a hugely-contentious split-decision victory in their first fight back in December, despite many feeling Allen had done enough to get the nod from the three ringside judges.

Fisher was sent packing to the canvas for the first time in his professional career as Allen laid siege to the Londoner in Riyadh, although it proved to be in vain as the officials controversially scored the bout 95-94, 93-96 and 95-94 in the Romford Bull's favour.

Acknowledging that his son was below-par in the first fight, 'Big John' feels that proceedings will pan out far differently in London this weekend, citing the 'pressure cooker' environment that Allen will be walking into as a potentially determining factor.

"It (the venue) won't make a slight difference, it will make a huge difference," 'Big John' told iFL TV.

"Trust me, we had a few people over in Saudi Arena for the first fight, but the arena was so huge you couldn't really hear them, but the Copper Box is entirely different!

"I liken it to an old fashioned football stadium where the stands are right up close to the pitch, where the fans are on top of you - that's exactly how it is inside the Copper Box.

Dave's a strong man, a tough man, but I think the only weakness he really has is his mind; we've seen his mind let him down before.

- 'Big John' Fisher (iFL TV)

"It's how he reacts to that because 99 percent of the crowd are going to be behind Johnny, and they will be aggressive, noisy and really getting involved in the fight.

"Having all of those against him will be tough, and I know he has headlined the O2 Arena before, but that is massive, this place isn't - it's very tight and the atmosphere will be electric - it will be right on top of him."

He added: "If Dave can shut the noise out then it won't affect him, but the big question is whether he can do that."

The odds suggested Fisher would comprehensively blow his former training partner Allen out of the water five months ago, but the vastly experienced Doncaster-born fighter tore up the script to drag his 26-year-old opponent into the deepest water of his career.

Whilst there has been a slight shift in the bookmakers prices this time around, Fisher is once again the favourite heading into the rematch - a tagging his father believes is justifiable.

"Look, for all we say about the first fight, and a lot has been said about it, Johnny won it, so let's not forget that," he stated.

"We know the circumstances around the result were not ideal, it was a close fight and there were valid cases either way, but what I will say is that Johnny looked jaded in his final spar before the fight.

"He had a really good training camp, but he was a little out-of-sorts in that final session, which is why he has taken himself away this time around.

"Sometimes just those fine margins, those three or four percents, make a huge difference to the outcome of a fight."

Mark Mothershaw

• Matchroom
• • 
  •