Boxing experts give their predictions for Dave Allen vs David Price
Dave Allen will face David Price in a huge domestic Heavyweight showdown on the undercard of Dillian Whyte’s clash with unbeaten rival Oscar Rivas at The O2 in London on July 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office.BBN asked their panel of experts for their view on who wins?
Matt Marsh
Former British super-bantamweight champion
"I think David Price will be too tall for Dave Allen, even though Allen is very good at landing his body shots and overhand rights.
I think Pricey will keep him at long range to win the fight."
Kieran Gething
Welsh Area super-lightweight champion
"Everyone wants to see this fight!
I’d like to think Allen has gained enough confidence and momentum to stop Price early. However I’m going with a Price KO win in the middle rounds. He's an absolutely tremendous puncher and an Olympian to boot. Be one hell of a statement of intent if Allen does the job though…'Papi De La Champion in the making!'"
Miles Shinkwin
Former light-heavyweight champion
"It’s a tough one. I’m one of many who have a lot of love for David Price and feel that without the early defeats to drug cheats he could and should be far better off than he is now.
On the flip side, the other Dave has garnered a lot of affection too. I feel that ultimately Allen's youth and fearlessness will get him through a couple of early rocky patches and see him win around the halfway mark.
That being said, when Pricey lands clean, people usually stay hit. Good fight."
Betting Odds (Supplied by 888Sport)
8/11 David Price to win
11/10 David Allen to win
25/1 Draw
Mark Tibbs
Boxing Coach
"Good match up, maybe difficult for Allen because of the range and power of Price, height also, but Allen will be coming off the Browne win with confidence and rightly so. It was a perfect picked left hook to the body, he can and could find the whiskers of David Price with the same shot or with the overhand right.
As it's 50/50, I can’t pick 'em."
Jamie Speight
Three-time Southern Area champion
"Great fight for both at this stage of their careers and a great fight for the British public.
Both great guys but I feel this fight ends the exact same way as the fight between David Allen and Nick Webb. David Price is sensible and will start behind the jab to keep Allen away and warm into the fight but I just see a big overhand right from Allen landing and I see it happening early as well.
David Allen by KO within five rounds."
Benn Norman
Flyweight debutant
"I think Dave Allen will win by stoppage because he has the momentum at the minute, but because it’s heavyweight boxing, anything could happen."
Stats: Power
David Price: 19 KOs from 24 wins – 79%
David Allen: 14 KOs from 17 wins – 82%
Erol Ceylan
Promoter
"This a great fight. It is the right time for David Allen to face David Price.
If David Price can hold his line then he will beat Allen on points. But if Allen can press then he can break David Price."
Dean Bedford
Sports Agent
"I really like this fight, as I do believe it's a 50/50. A good domestic heavyweight tear-up with two likeable characters! What's not to like?
I am really torn about how this goes, but I do favour Price for this one. I think he'll be too tall, too rangey and in the early rounds he needs to go into Allen and try and get him out of there as, in the earlier rounds, Allen tends to not move his head too well until he gets going, so it's a great chance for Price to land one of his blows early doors.
Price shouldn't try and box the first 3/4 rounds, I think he should be looking to let off one of his big shots early!
Price to win early rounds, if Allen survives early punches, then it's gonna be a interesting fight!"
Aqib Tahlat
BBN Writer
"I think that it’s a tough fight for Dave Allen as David Price has more experience on this level.
However, Dave Allen is a fighter that just keep improving and can stop Price like he did Lucas Browne and Nick Webb.
Boxing is all about timing and it’s the perfect time for Allen and I believe he will stop him in the later rounds."
Stats: Height
David Price: 6ft 8" with 82" reach
David Allen: 6ft 3" with 75" reach
Johnny Edwards
Head Coach at Guildford City Gym
"David Price, for me, if he can do the distance that is to get this one on points then David can use his jab and height advantage and it would be his fight, but as we have seen before Allen can pull a punch from nowhere and finish the job, but David’s vast amateur pedigree means he must come in to this fight and box."
Steve Wood
Promoter – VIP Promotions
"Strange one, Price will be winning, but after four rounds, if he has not either stopped or hurt Allen, then I can see it turning and a middle round stoppage for the 'White Rhino'."
Tim Rickson
Sports Agent
"This is an intruiging fight for many reasons. David Price has the amateur pedigree and vaster experience in the unpaid and paid code. He is the bigger puncher of the pair and when he he hits, you stay hit. He has 'lights out' power and he lands those KO shots in most of his fights.
Now, Allen is as tough as they come and can take a lot of punishment. He has learnt lately not to stand there for too long and take a beating and seems to have a rejuvenated mindset and renewed confidence towards his boxing career recently, which is obviously great to see.
He is a talented fighter and he will need to use all of his attributes to be able to triump over Pricey. If he can avoid any big shots from the big man, move his feet, move his head, and stay away from too much danger for the first few rounds, then we will see Pricey begin to gas and that's where Allen could set the pace higher, control the fight and then land one of his big overhand rights from nowhere.
The size difference shouldn't come into it, as we all saw the stunning KO of Nick Webb, who was far bigger than the 'White Rhino'. Another thing to remember is that we have seen everything that Price has to offer, whereas Allen is improving fight on fight, and his conditioning is getting better and better, too.
If Allen can make this his fight, namely to take it a few rounds in, execute a game plan to the letter, then I should hope to see him winning in the mid-rounds between 5-8."
Stats: Career-best Win
David Price: [TKO1] Audley Harrison (28-5), October 2012
David Allen: [TKO3] Lucas Browne (28-1), April 2019
Kane 'Chopper' Cantell
Unbeaten lightweight
"Allen seems to be on a bit of a roll and looked very good against Browne. Price in recent years has lacked in consistency with his performances. However Price could surprise me but I see Allen picking up a late stoppage."
Daniel Smith
BBN Writer
"Two weeks ago, Dave Allen scored a sickening left hook that blasted into Lucas Browne like a mule kick to the liver; a brutal, tyrannical shot that no fighter within the heavyweight division would've been impervious to.
The big Australian instantly recoiled his punches before deflating to the canvass in a swell of excruciating and nauseating pain, as the "Allen crowd" celebrated in tumultuous roars for the strapping Yorkshireman's thrilling win. The 'White Rhino' raised his arms in victory, blew kisses to fans and reenacted the finishing blow with new trainer, Darren Barker before striding across the ring with a playful, feign swagger.
The Aussie slugger had been blown away in half the time than fellow British heavyweight contender, Dillian Whyte had managed, just twelve months earlier. Allen had won and closed the show in emphatic fashion, delivering a peachy, precision perfect blow to call time on the fight in round three – no one could ever take that away from him.
However, prior to his TKO, Dave looked stiff in the opening period as he walked into a number of slow, spearing jabs and big, smashing uppercuts – finding difficulty with slipping 'Big Daddy's' heavy leather. But, he eventually found a rhythm and landed a terrific punch that's unofficially put Lucas Browne's career to bed.
Whether Allen can dismantle 'Big' David Price in a similar manner will, of course, unfold July 20. I do believe Dave can, and will improve – and, I do believe it will be a cracking fight between the two likeable lads.
Price is a seasoned professional and he'll undoubtedly treat this fight with the serious nature in which it warrants. We all know the Liverpudlian can box and certainly bang, however, the calibre of his resistance under fire isn't comparable to that of Allen's – this, I believe may be the one crucial factor that dictates the outcome of their domestic dust-up.
A betting man would call Pricey the favourite 1-6 and the 'White Rhino' 6-12. I'm going with a David Price win."
Anish Parekh
BBN Writer
"An interesting fight. A journeyman that has become a prospect, versus a former prospect that has become a gate-keeper.
It's a case of how much has Allen improved compared to what does Price have left.
Price can still punch but his own punch resistance is poor. Allen looks in shape, he's motivated and buoyed by his recent victory over Lucas Browne.
My hunch is that Allen will absorb early punishment but work his way into the contest and demonstrate his improved punching power by aiming at the flabby mid-section of the taller Price, en-route to a mid-rounds KO."
Ryan Clark
Co-Founder of BuyMyFight
“This really excites me. I know it’s not supposed to be Box Office stuff and it’s neither a world title either but, the timing is perfect. It’s a clash of the double D’s! Two Dave’s, two really nice blokes that anyone can get behind.
You just can’t help love the story of Dave Allen so far though. In his own mind, he probably wasn’t supposed to win against Nick Webb and onwards but, he has. He just dropped a high ranked Lucas Browne fair and square, so the journey continues whilst a bit of seriousness and realisation has hopefully kicked in – “I can do this”.
David Price can box, and has good reach with a jab that anyone could wish for, but it’s that damn chin! One big hit and that’s it, which I think, in this case, Dave Allen’s overhand right will be a problem. It’s a matter of time as to when it connects rather than if, so for that reason I’m calling a Dave Allen win by KO (Round 5)."
Verdict
46% David Price: Matt Marsh and five more are backing Pricey to prevail
54% David Allen: Jamie Speight and six others are picking Allen to win