British heavyweight Dave Allen secured the greatest triumph of his career when he knocked out former world champion Lucas Browne in the third round at the O2 Arena.
Allen had considered quitting last year until he knocked out fellow Briton Nick Webb, and proved on Saturday that it needs just one punch to change the course of a career in the heavyweight division.
Allen, once considered a perennial journeyman, finally has a win over a recognised heavyweight in Browne, the former World Boxing Association “regular” champion.
The 27-year-old, 18st fighter could now be in line for more significant fights and is expected to be matched against Liverpool’s David Price on the Dillian Whyte-Oscar Rivas undercard on July 20 in London.
Allen, who has now won 17 of his 23 fights, with four defeats, even cheekily remarked that he would happily step in as Jarrell Miller’s replacement to face Anthony Joshua on June 1 in New York, after the American failed a drugs test.
“Lucas Browne’s a very tough man and I proved I can punch at a very high level,” Allen said. “I could have done 12 rounds, but I was waiting for him to slow down, then right uppercut, left hook, good night. I want more now, I’m greedy. He’s [Browne] not what he once was, but it’s a very good win.”
Browne, 40, had taken the first two rounds with his own muscularity, patiently working Allen over with uppercuts and hooks on the inside. Yet in that third round, ducking away from a Browne right hand, Allen slipped underneath and planted a peach of a left hook to the body. Browne was down and unable to beat the count, the contest halted after 58 seconds.
“Who knows how far he can go?” said Eddie Hearn, his promoter, who admits that Allen could now be matched in major fights.
On the undercard, Dereck Chisora took a 10-round decision over Germany’s Senad Gashi but did little to persuade anyone he deserves the shot of a lifetime against Joshua at Madison Square Garden. Former world-title challenger Chisora won 100-90, 100-91 and 99-91 on the ringside judges’ cards.