EXCLUSIVE: Dave Allen vows not to change style ahead of career-defining Filip Hrgovic clash

Dave Allen embarks on the biggest fight of his near 14-year professional boxing career when locking horns with Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgovic on Saturday night.

Allen's relationship with boxing has been turbulent; he'll be the first one to tell you that. But a split decision loss to Johnny Fisher seemingly lit a spark within the 'White Rhino'.

Many suggested that the judges had come to the wrong decision when handing Allen his seventh loss in Riyadh, but the humble professional handled it well and rematched the 'Romford Bull' just five months later in May 2025. Allen avenged his loss with an emphatic TKO knockout in the fifth round, putting his name in the hat for a heavyweight clash on an even greater scale.

The Doncaster-born fighter was subsequently tasked with a 12-round brawl against Russian brute Arslanbek Makhmudov, landing a ferocious barrage of punches in the ninth round but ultimately losing convincingly via unanimous decision.

He defeated Karim Berredjem on the Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington card back in February, but what awaits him this weekend is undoubtedly his toughest task to date.

On Saturday, Allen returns to his hometown of Doncaster to face Filip Hrgovic. The 'White Rhino' heads into the 10-round bout as the overwhelming underdog, but he will hope that the wholehearted support of the locals will spur him on at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Allen has previously faced criticism for a lack of activity while taking on some of the best talents the heavyweight division has to offer but the 34-year-old insisted that he has no plans to alter his approach this weekend, even against a fighter of Hrgovic's calibre.

"I'm going to do what I always do," Allen told bet365 via Boxing News.

“People keep saying throw more punches. It’s not as easy as that; you can’t train for 18 years, have a certain style and change it.

My style is one that, when I’m fit and on it, I can take any heavyweight in the world in 12 rounds. Anyone.

“That’s what I’m going to do. I’m clever, I’m tough and defensively very good.

“I get smacked on the nose a lot but not really on the chin. I’m not going to change overnight and become some insane person. It doesn’t work like that.

“I’m going to do what I always do, but at a higher tempo. There won’t be any massive stylistic changes.”

Allen has previously preached that there is no science to boxing, and conventional wisdom states he will not able to outbox the decorated Olympic medallist this weekend.

But with his iron chin and knockout power it would be naive to rule out Doncaster's favourite son when he walks out in front a baying home crowd at the Eco-Power Stadium.

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