British heavyweight title hopeful, Dave Allen, has revealed that his upcoming opponent, Frazer Clarke, will know that he is in a real fight when he steps into the ring after their past experiences from sparring.
Allen has faced the likes of Dillian Whyte, David Price, Luis Ortiz and Tony Yoka, but fallen short on each occasion that he has stepped up beyond the British level barring a victory over Lucas Browne in 2019.
Now, ‘The White Rhino’ is set to return to the domestic scene after a brief retirement and some lower-level four-rounders, planning to beat Frazer Clarke and then challenge Fabio Wardley for the Lonsdale belt.
He told Seconds Out that he has a ‘big chance’ of beating the Olympic bronze medallist and expected favourite, Clarke.
“He’s a good bloke and he’s a good fighter. I think that he is really, severely underrated at the minute. He’s not set the world alight with his pro career to date, but I’ve sparred him and people keep saying that he is slow, but he is fast.
He’s one of the faster big men that I have ever been in with. He’s really sharp, you don’t win Olympic medals if you’re not pretty sharp over three rounds.”
“I know that it’s a big ask [for me to win], it’s a big ask at the best of times, never mind with four years out of the ring. So, I know that it’s a difficult ask but I know I’m in with a big chance and I know that he knows that as well.
I kind of wish that I was boxing Fabio Wardley, who I know would underestimate me, but I know Frazer Clarke well and he’ll know from past spars that he is in for a real fight.”
Allen will attempt to take Clarke’s undefeated professional record on the undercard of Liam Smith’s rematch with Chris Eubank Jr on September 2 at the AO Arena in Manchester, which can be watched live on Sky Sports Box Office.