Eddie Hearn has revealed he is targeting a massive fight for Dave Allen, if the heavyweight can defeat the towering Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 October in Sheffield.
The Matchroom boss has revealed that their target is the former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Hearn said on the Matchroom Flash Knockdown podcast: “If Dave Allen beats Makhmudov, he puts himself in line for some huge fights.
“I like the Deontay Wilder fight, personally. We’ve reached out to Shelly Finkel [Wilder’s manager] to talk about that, but let’s see what happens on 11 October first. It’s a massive night for Dave, and as I say: if he wins, he will waltz into the biggest fight of his career.”
Allen is currently riding the wave of an unlikely career revival after knocking out British rival Johnny Fisher in devastating fashion at the Copper Box in May.
His fight with Makhmudov, as well as being one of the most dangerous of his career, will represent a personal achievement for Allen – as he will headline at the Sheffield Arena for the first time – something he has wanted to do his whole career.
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Following in the footsteps of Kell Brook, Naseem Hamed and Dalton Smith, Allen will now get the chance to shine in front of his home fans.
Allen recently stated that his plan is to defeat Makhmudov and have one more major fight before retiring from the sport.
Allen said on Sky Sports: “He’s big, he’s dangerous. He’s someone who will help me fill out Sheffield Arena. If I beat him, it will send me on my way to really big fights.
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“I’m not bothered about him. I just want to beat him, have another big fight and chill out for the rest of my life. That’s the plan.”
Wilder held the WBC title between 2015 and 2020 as he developed a reputation as one of the biggest punchers the heavyweight division has ever seen.
But the American has lost four of his last six fights and is fast approaching his 40th birthday. Hearn appears to believe Allen could get his hands on Wilder at the perfect time as he aims to continue his late-career resurgence.
