Dave Allen faced a looming defeat but was given a chance to bow out gracefully. Despite a late rally in the ninth round, he struggled against the relentless Arslanbek Makhmudov. The towering 6ft 6in Russian, resembling a Bond villain, dominated the fight, contrary to Allen’s expectations of a slow start.

When offered a quick exit, Allen, in contrast to previous bouts, chose to endure more punishment rather than quit prematurely. Despite feeling exhausted and battered after the 10th round, he pushed on, determined to finish the fight swinging.

In the early rounds, Allen stuck to his strategy of allowing Makhmudov to advance, but it became evident that the Russian was unyielding. Despite a moment of excitement from the crowd towards the end, Makhmudov maintained control and secured a clear points victory, acknowledging his opponent’s toughness.

Acknowledging his defeat, Allen admitted Makhmudov’s superiority and expressed a desire to continue fighting, eyeing a potential British title in the future. Meanwhile, Makhmudov, despite a hand injury, set his sights on a possible showdown with Anthony Joshua, who is expected to return to the ring in late 2025 or early 2026.

Makhmudov confidently declared his intention to face Joshua, claiming that the two had already discussed a potential matchup, with Joshua allegedly agreeing to the challenge. Emphasizing his readiness for the fight, Makhmudov eagerly anticipates a clash with the former world champion next year.