Dave Allen vs Filip Hrgovic: “Dave vs Goliath” Heavyweight Clash Comes to Doncaster

Dave Allen returns to his hometown of Doncaster this weekend to face highly ranked Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgovic in a classic David vs Goliath showdown at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Allen Ready for the Biggest Night of His Career

Doncaster’s very own ‘White Rhino’ Dave Allen (25-8-2) will step into the ring inside Doncaster Rovers’ Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday night, going toe-to-toe in a ten-round contest against the highly ranked Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgović.

Allen, a proud Yorkshireman born and raised in the small town of Conisbrough in Doncaster, will be fighting just a short distance from home, adding extra significance to what is already one of the biggest nights of his career.

Hrgović, who stands across from him at the weekend, will be looking to spoil the homecoming by putting on a clinic against the local hero. He boasts an almost perfect professional record of 20-1.

The Croatian enters the fight as the bookmakers’ clear favourite, with Allen currently priced at 6/1 to pull off an upset victory.

For the uninitiated, Dave Allen is your typical Brit: very honest and not one to mince his words. Thursday’s press conference showcased that perfectly.

Questions have previously been raised regarding Allen’s preparation and commitment in past camps. Addressing those concerns ahead of this weekend’s showdown, the 34-year-old said: “I’ve trained very hard, you have to. I am boxing one of the best heavyweights in the world.”

“He’s ranked fifth by The Ring magazine, I think that I am rated maybe sixty second, which isn’t bad really. Not as good as fifth though! … I’m not going to embarrass myself; I’ve had a few embarrassing nights in my career because I wasn’t really with it. I didn’t want to be there half the time. There is nowhere I want to be more than the Eco-Power on Saturday night.”

Hrgovic Knows Defeat Is Not an Option

Some may view this bout as a step backwards in terms of Filip Hrgović’s career progression. After securing a unanimous decision victory over David Adeleye in Saudi Arabia last August, a matchup with Dave Allen, who is not ranked as highly as some of his previous opponents, could appear to represent a lower calibre of competition and may do little to strengthen his case for larger fights.

Because of this, Hrgović is aware that losing this fight would be detrimental to his position in the upper echelon of the heavyweight division.

“A loss would put me in a terrible position; I can’t lose and for him (Allen) it would maybe challenge Daniel Dubois for a heavyweight title. He is British, he is famous, the people love him. It’s a chance for him; it’s the chance of his life.”

Can the White Rhino Shock the Boxing World?

This weekend, the eyes of the boxing world will turn towards Doncaster, with more than 10,000 British fans expected to create a huge atmosphere as Dave Allen attempts to slay Goliath on home soil.

Or will fantasy remain just that—fantasy?

Henry Elwell

Henry Elwell is a sports writer based in Lincoln, UK, specialising in combat sports coverage across both boxing and mixed martial arts. Alongside his writing, Henry has gained experience presenting boxing events, attending press conferences and hosting media events, building a broad range of skills during his time at the University of Lincoln. He also played a key role in the University of Lincoln's coverage of Lincoln City F.C. during the club's title-winning 2025/26 campaign. His work included writing match reports and feature articles, as well as interviewing the team's manager and numerous first-team players.