Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has commended Dave Allen`s remarkable path, highlighting his transformation from a fighter battling suicidal thoughts and gambling addiction to a successful heavyweight boxer.
Allen has previously spoken candidly about his struggles with depression, which followed significant financial losses due to betting.
However, the father of two, a long-time favourite among British boxing fans, has successfully turned both his personal life and career around with crucial support from his family.
Allen recently secured arguably the most significant and brutal victory of his career by knocking out Johnny Fisher in the fifth round of their highly anticipated rematch.
This win was widely celebrated by his dedicated fanbase, who have followed Allen`s challenging journey closely. Anthony Joshua was among those expressing admiration.
Joshua, 35, posted a message acknowledging Allen`s difficult past: “Dave was suicidal, a gambling addict who everyone thought was finished a few years ago.”
He added, “Now he`s got a family, a few hundred thousand to his name and got his biggest win.”
Their first encounter in Saudi Arabia in December saw Allen, 33, lose to Fisher, 26, via a controversial split decision, despite scoring a knockdown in the fifth round.
In the rematch at the Copper Box, Allen left no room for doubt or judges` scorecards, knocking Fisher down again in the fifth round with a powerful right hand.
Just moments before the round concluded, Allen delivered a devastating left hook, following a body combination, to secure the knockout victory.
Speaking after the fight, Allen expressed the magnitude of the win: “This means everything to me. I`ve been written off so many times.”
He continued, linking his success to his family: “You know what it means? The belt, everything, my kids. I`m gonna have an en suite, they`ll have their own bathroom between them.”
Reflecting on his performance and experience, he commented: “At this level, I`m a handful. He overexaggerated the movement, which worked against him. I`ve got experience, I know the game inside-out. I`m him, but with 30 more fights basically.”
Regarding a potential third fight with Fisher, Allen stated: “He`s my friend. He`s a very good friend of mine. I wouldn`t allow [a trilogy fight] to happen, because it`s not in his best interests.”
Fisher required oxygen following the stoppage but later shared a message on Instagram, acknowledging the nature of the sport: “I wasn`t good enough tonight but that`s what boxing is all about and that`s what sport is all about.”
He added, “The best people keep coming and keep going and don`t let one little blip get them down.”
