Doncaster’s popular heavyweight Dave Allen has announced his immediate retirement.
Allen (18-5-2, 15 KOs) was due to feature on the Conor Benn vs Sebastian Formella bill next Saturday, but has instead called time on his colourful career.
“I hoped I would never have to write this message, never mind at 28 with my last fight being when I was 27 years old but I made the decision a few nights ago with my sister that I would no longer from that moment on be a professional fighter,” said Allen in a retirement post on Instagram.
“The reason for me calling it a day is simple, I don’t want to get punched anymore, long gone are the days of the kid from Donny who just wants to fight, all I want now is a nice quiet life with a wife and some kids, healthy and happy getting nice and fat.”
After linking up with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, ‘The White Rhino’ became an unlikely pay-per-view star due to his charismatic personality, sizeable heart and openness about life’s struggles. In an eight-year career, he mixed it with some of the heavyweight division’s leading lights including Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz and Tony Yoka.
Allen‘s best night came against former WBA Regular champion Lucas Browne in April 2019 when the Yorkshireman prevailed with a third-round body shot knockout. But three months later he was hospitalised after a punishing 10th round defeat to David Price.
He returned to the fray with a third-round KO of Dorian Darch in February before fights against Christian Hammer and Christopher Lovejoy fell through in October.
“Boxing has given me a life I could never have dreamed of, I had never been out of Doncaster but for school trips until I started boxing and it’s taken me round the world from New York City to working men’s clubs all around the UK,” added Allen.
“As well as seeing the world, it has taken me from the kid brought up in a council house with yellow doors wearing Umbro to a man who still wears Umbro but owns a few houses and who has given myself a chance to give my future kids a life I could only have dreamed of.
“On top of that and more importantly I have made the greatest friends, some of them being my childhood heroes, the list would be far too long but I hope everyone knows who they are and know they are appreciated.”
Everyone at Boxing Social wishes Dave the very best with his future plans.