Hometown Hero's Fairytale Ends in Defeat as Makhmudov Outpoints Allen in Sheffield Showdown

On October 12th, 2025, British heavyweight David Allen's long-awaited headline show at Sheffield Arena ended in disappointment as he suffered a unanimous points defeat to Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov. The judges scored the fight 115-111, 117-109, and 116-110 in favor of the imposing Makhmudov, who entered the bout with an impressive 19 knockouts from his 20 professional wins.

The 33-year-old Allen, who had previously fought at the venue five times, was making his first appearance as the main event in front of a raucous 9,000-strong crowd. The South Yorkshire native was determined to deliver a fairytale performance for his adoring fans, but the sheer power and skill of Makhmudov proved too much to handle.

Despite the chants of "There's only one Dave Allen" echoing around the arena, the home fighter had to weather some early storms and take heavy blows from his Russian opponent. Allen managed to land a few solid shots, including a massive body shot and a right uppercut in the fifth round, but Makhmudov's toughness and durability shone through.

In the end, Makhmudov's superior boxing ability and punching power were the decisive factors, as he secured a comfortable victory on the scorecards. The defeat was a setback for Allen, who has faced numerous challenges throughout his 13-year professional career, but the "White Rhino" remains determined to bounce back and continue his journey in the sport he loves.