Dave Allen targeting Zhilei Zhang fight
Dave Allen (25-8-2, 20 KOs) is targeting former WBO Global heavyweight champion, Zhilei Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs), he has just announced on social media.
The “White Rhino” from Doncaster wrote: “I think it’s going to happen. We’ve already spoken about it. They mentioned Zhilei Zhang to me and I’ve never backed down from anyone in my life and I’m not going to start with him.”
33-year-old Allen has won two from his last four bouts, which includes a controversial defeat to Johnny Fisher in December 2024, which he avenged in with a fifth-round knockout five months later.
Then, in October 2025, he put in a spirited performance against the fearsome Russian, Arslanbek Makhmudov, which was as close as 111-115 on one judge’s scorecard.
In his last outing, in February 2026, he defeated overmatched Karim Berredjem in less than a minute, throwing big bombs from the first bell to knock the Frenchman down twice.
Chinese southpaw Zhang defeated Briton Joe Joyce twice in 2023 to win the WBO Interim world heavyweight title, but was lost the belt when he was outpointed by Joseph Parker in 2024. However, he bounced back in remarkable fashion, less than three months later to KO Deontay Wilder in five rounds.
In his last fight in February 2025, he was KO’d for the first time in his career, by German sensation Agit Kabayel.
Allen vs Zhang would be a fan-friendly affair.
