How has training gone?
“It’s gone really well. It’s been an extensive camp but we’re coming to the end now and there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I’m looking forward to the camp being finished, fighting is going to be the easy part. Everything has gone well, so far so good. A long camp but a fruitful one. I’ve trained well, rested well, eat well. Everything is fine.”
You’ve described this as the biggest fight of your career, why is that?
“In boxing your next fight is always your biggest. It’s what is on the other side. The way the Heavyweight division is changing and the landscape is changing, the upset with the Joshua defeat and everything else, it’s probably created more interest and there’s going to be even more opportunities amongst the fighters just below the top level like myself.”
What’s next if you get the win?
“As far as winning this fight is concerned, there’s definitely going to be an opportunity and a bigger fight next. There’s a lot of American Heavyweights coming through, there’s a lot going on in Britain still. I haven’t even thought about defeat. Defeat isn’t even an option for me in this fight so it’s not something that has come into my mind, it’s all about what happens when I win.”
Could there be another opportunity to get back to the highest level of the sport?
“There might be an opportunity to fight someone that may create some buzz towards a World title eliminator or something like that. I’d love to be able to finish my career and say I’ve fought for a World title. If the belts are broken up there will be more opportunities to challenge for them. The champions will need more challengers. You just never know. We’ll see what happens.”
Dave Allen says he will knock you out in three rounds. What do you make of that?
“My best chance of beating Dave Allen will probably be in the opening few rounds so it’s going to be fireworks from the first bell. I’m expecting fireworks, it’s as simple as that. It’s going to be a great clash of styles. He thinks I’m made for him, I think he’s made for me. He says he’ll stop me in three, I’ll stop him in two. Dave Allen is a durable fighter but I can knock anyone out and I want to knock Dave Allen out. That’s the plan, to go out to try and stop him. We’ve worked on a lot of things to deal with Dave Allen and I’m confident what we’ve worked on is going to be successful on the night. I’m just focusing on doing what I want to do on the night and that’s to get in the ring and knock Dave Allen out which I believe I’m fully capable of.”
The bookies have you down as the underdog heading into July 20, does this surprise you?
“Not really because Dave Allen is coming off the back of a good win over Lucas Browne. He’s coming in off four wins. He’s had two notable wins and he’s got momentum going into our fight. He’s the favourite and I expected that, that’s fine with me. Dave Allen is the A side in this fight, I’m in as the opponent. The expectation is on Dave Allen so the beauty for me is that people aren’t expecting me to win as far as the betting is concerned. That suits me down to the ground.”
What do you expect from Dave Allen on July 20?
“I think he’s rugged. He’s durable. It’s more about preparing for what I’m going to do than reacting to what Dave Allen is going to do. We’re preparing more about my plan and my actions that I’m going to take in the ring. Let him react to me rather than me reacting to him. It’s about me getting in there on the night and staying calm and composed.”
