Allen knew he was taking on a big challenge as he faced the big-punching six-foot-five Russian, and while he was on the receiving end for most of the opening four or five rounds, hopes were still high in the arena that Allen – who had predicted he would rally in the second half of the fight to win a decision – could turn the fight around in the later rounds.
But, while there were flashes of optimism when he landed some huge shots on Makhmudov through the middle rounds of the contest, ultimately, he was unable to find that crucial fight-ending shot that would have seen him claim a crowd-pleasing victory.
Allen still showed the heart and durability that has been his hallmark as he became only the second fighter to take Makhmudov the distance, albeit in a losing effort, as he lost a unanimous decision with scores of 115-111, 116-110, 117-109.
Allen didn’t sugar-coat his thoughts or hide behind excusses when he spoke to DAZN in the ring after his defeat, as he gave a matter-of-fact response to his defeat.
“The top and bottom is I’m not good enough,” he admitted.
“He’s like top 20 in the world. I’m not. Simple as that, really. He was too big and too good.
“I was fit. I trained hard. Jamie and Nige, everything they asked of me. Just not good enough. But that’s alright. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. I’ve had to swallow it eight times, so you get used to it. But I just wasn’t good enough.”
"I'm not finished" 👊
Full of heart in defeat, Dave Allen applauds @SheffieldArena before sending the kids off to bed 🥰#AllenMakhmudov pic.twitter.com/u9cUFc5S6Y
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 11, 2025
While Allen was coming to terms with being outclassed on the night, he paid tribute to the crowd in Sheffield, who produced a memorable atmosphere for one of British boxing’s most popular fighters.
“The crowd in here tonight, I’ve never ever ever seen anything like it,” he said.
“I nearly cried. I had to really choke it all back a bit on the ramp there.”
Despite being disappointed at missing out on a shot at a potentially huge money fight against one of the heavyweight division’s big names, Allen promised his fans that he’ll be back to entertain them all again.
“I’m not finished! I’m not finished!”
