Heavyweight Boxing
London, UK - In front of a sold-out and raucous Copper Box Arena crowd in London, Dave Allen turned back the clock and delivered a stunning fifth-round TKO over Johnny Fisher in their highly anticipated heavyweight rematch.
Fisher, who won a disputed decision over Allen in their first encounter in Saudi Arabia, came into the bout with a packed house of support and plenty of promotional momentum. But Allen, heavier than ever at 265 lbs and widely seen as the underdog, flipped the script with a gritty performance and thunderous left hook finish that dropped Fisher badly at the close of Round 5.
The bout began cautiously, with both men testing range and working behind flicking jabs. Allen looked to land his signature overhand rights while Fisher circled and countered. Rounds 1 and 2 saw tentative action, with little separating the two fighters.
The tempo picked up in the third, as Fisher began landing strong body shots and Allen answered with clever uppercuts in close. By Round 4, the inside exchanges became scrappier, with both men clinching and swinging wildly on the ropes. Fisher's jab found limited success, while Allen's compact shots began slipping through the guard.
Round 5 was the breakthrough. After some messy action, Allen landed a clean right hand that stunned Fisher and set up a violent inside flurry that dropped him. He got up, but Allen was all over him on the ropes. As the bell neared, Allen uncorked a brutal combination punctuated by a left hook on the ropes that crumpled Fisher to the canvas for the finish.
The official result: Dave Allen wins via TKO at 3:00 of Round 5.
Allen, long considered a star-power journeyman with a granite chin and unorthodox style, now finds himself back in the conversation for domestic-level opportunities. The win was one of his most impactful performances in years and could see him land a major UK fight next.
As for Johnny Fisher, the defeat halts his rise and leaves serious questions about his defensive awareness and ability to control fights against rugged opposition. His power and popularity remain intact, but this was a brutal setback on a night designed to launch him forward.
In the end, it was Allen's experience, toughness, and timing that carried the night.
"They wrote me off. But I told them: this is what I do," Allen said in the ring afterward.
He did indeed—and emphatically.