Mind Games Gone Wrong? Dave Allen’s Plan to Irritate Makhmudov Might Be Backfiring Before the First Bell

Dave Allen says he wants to wear down Arslanbek Makhmudov by playing mind games ahead of their 12-round fight this Saturday, October 11, at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England. Their fight will be shown live on DAZN this Saturday. The event starts at 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 p.m. PT.

Smile Warfare Begins

Allen’s strategy is to purposefully annoy the big 6’5 1/2″ Russian Makhmudov (20-2, 19 KOs) by smiling. He acknowledges that it doesn’t seem to be working. Instead of Makhmudov appearing angry, he seems happy with how friendly Allen is, as shown by his smiles.

The other strategy that Allen (24-7-2, 19 KOs) has is to duck and dodge Makhmudov’s firepower in the first quarter of the fight, and then start coming on in rounds four and five. Makhmudov might still be too powerful at that point in the fight for Allen to go on the attack.

In Arslanbek’s recent eighth-round knockout defeat against Guido Vianello on August 17, 2024, he was still throwing with a lot of power in rounds five through seven. Makhmudov had a swollen, injured left eye, and he could barely see out of it. Even with that, he was throwing huge haymakers with knockout intention. If not for Guido’s technical ability, he would have been clipped.

Allen is going to have to be careful not to get hit because the shots that Makhmudov throws have a lot of power and weight behind them. The uppercuts and the clubbing right hands that he throws will do damage when or if they land on Allen. He hasn’t fought a heavyweight of Makhmudov’s level in many years since his fight against Tony Yoka in 2018.

“I’m trying to annoy him. I’m not sure how well it’s working. I wanted him to try to punch my head in. I was trying to irritate him. The sooner he tires out, the better,” said Dave Allen to talkSport Boxing about wanting to wear down Arslanbek Makhmudov outside and inside the ring.

Makhmudov Doesn’t Blink

Allen doesn’t seem to understand Makhmudov well. He looks entirely indifferent to the mind games that Allen is trying to play. Makhmudov has too much experience at the pro level and in the amateurs in Russia. Trying to annoy him isn’t likely to work. Again, Allen’s smiling makes him come across as friendly. Makhmudov even said in an interview that he thinks Allen is a “nice” person.

“I can’t wait for rounds four and five to start. The more I can get him to knock the smile off my face, the quicker I can get it to work. When he’s throwing punches, I’ll be ducking and diving. I’ll get to work when he starts blowing.

Since 2015, Olly Campbell has brought readers clear ringside perspective and a steady voice on boxing’s biggest nights.