By Charles Brun: Heavyweight David Allen is in need of a new opponent to replace Christian Hammer, who tested positive for COVID 19 and is now off the October 31st Oleksandr Usyk vs. Dereck Chisora card. The card will be shown on Sky Sports Boxing Office.
Matchroom Boxing is looking for a replacement for Allen to fight. It’s too bad they didn’t renew the contract for American heavyweight Michael Hunter, as he would be an excellent opponent for Allen to fight on October 31st.
Of course, it would likely be a tremendous mismatch with Hunter making easy work of Allen, but it would still be a fun fight to see how well he does.
It might be a good idea for Eddie Hearn to scrap the plans for having Allen fighting on the Usyk vs. Chisora card.
They need someone good enough to attract boxing fans in purchasing the fight on Sky Box Office PPV, and it’ll be worthless if they match him against a known scrub.
Matchroom looking for a replacement for Allen
“Christian Hammer has tested positive for COVID-19 and is out the fight vs Dave Allen on the #UsykChisora undercard.
“A new opponent for The White Rhino will be confirmed shortly,” Matchroom Boxing said on social media.
The ‘White Rhino’ Allen (18-5-2, 15 KOs) was viewed as the underdog against the tough German fighter Hammer, and he might be better off the fight isn’t happening.
Still, it’s a setback for the 28-year-old Allen because a victory over Hammer would have potentially placed him in the top 15 in the world rankings. With a top tier ranking, Allen would be in position for some big payday fights against the top echelon.
Even though Allen’s chances of beating Hammer were slim and none, he still would have gained a lot if he’d beaten him. In hindsight, it’s probably good that Allen isn’t fighting Hammer because that fight had trouble written all over it for Dave.
If he’s going to fight at all on the ard, Allen is likely to be put in with a no-name opponent, and he won’t gain anything from the contest.
For Allen to break the top 15 in the world rankings, he needs a contender or a well-known journeyman. Kevin Johnson would be ideal, but I’m not too sure that Allen could beat him. Even at 41, Johnson might be too good for fallen.
Dave Allen dodged a bullet
The 33-year-old Hammer (26-6, 15 KOs) destroyed David Price in seven rounds in 2017 in a back and forth contests that saw both fighters hurt. Price is the same fighter that bludgeoned Allen into submission in ten rounds last year in July 2019.
The way that Hammer beat Price, it was unlikely that Allen would have been able to survive long against him before he too was knocked out.
😈 @usykaa is coming… #UsykChisora | Oct 31 pic.twitter.com/SAkmsQmvS1
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) October 20, 2020
With all the different heavyweights out of action due to the pandemic, it shouldn’t be difficult for Matchroom to find a replacement for Allen to fight.
With that said, if they’re looking for someone specific, a fighter that Allen has a good chance of beating, they’ve got their work cut out for them.
If the idea is for Matchroom to find a guy that they’re confident that Allen can beat, it’ll be trickier because he’s vulnerable.
A proper opponent for Allen would be one of these heavyweights
- Kevin Johnson
- Tom Little
- Chris Arreola
- Tom Schwarz
Allen believes he’s improved with Usyk sparring
Allen has recently been doing a bit of sparring with Usyk, 33, to help him prepare for his crucial fight against 36-year-old Chisora on the October 31t card. It’s unknown whether the sparring with Allen has improved him and made him a better fighter. If Allen has paid attention to the things that Usyk has been doing, maybe he has gotten better.
“Sparring Usyk has taken me to another level,” said Allen to Sky Sports News. “He’s one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.”
Allen didn’t say how he knows that his sparring with Usyk has taken him to “another level.” Has Allen sparred with other talented heavyweights since and battered them to show that he’s improved of is he just hoping that he’s improved?