5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Everyone Loves Dave

Episode Date: October 13, 2025

Did defeat in Sheffield make Dave Allen even more popular? Barry Jones joins Buncey to reflect on a memorable night where “The White Rhino” was beaten on points by Arslanbek Makhmudov. They hear from Allen in an emotional post-fight interview, while promoter Frank Smith insists this isn’t the end for the Doncaster man.

This is Five Live Boxing. Not so long ago, Dave Allen was fighting for peanuts in front of just a couple of hundred people. On Saturday night, nearly 10,000 people came out in Sheffield at the Sheffield Arena. And the arena he's been going to for years to watch some of his idols. It wasn't Dave's night. He lost to Arslenbeck-Mak-Mudov, the giant Russian. I say giant, he's only 6'6'6. It was a grueling fight, a hard fight to watch, but you could

couldn't take your eyes off it. I'm Steve Bunce and this is Five Live Boxing. And it was a night of raw emotion, unbelievable atmosphere in the place. I mean, I was stunned by the atmosphere. Now, working alongside the boys from Dizone, all in socks, I'll be pleased. You're pleased to know that summer looks all is faded.

Barry Jones joins me. Barry wasn't to be for Big Dave Allen tonight, not through lacquer try, not through lack of desire, not through lack of anything. He just wasn't quite good enough. And Arsland Beck, I thought was magnificent tonight. I was so impressed with him. He showed guts and determination.

I'm stuck a little bit because I think, yeah, sometimes you step up a level and you just can produce the goods. And I think that's what happened to Dave tonight. But I think he can box better. He wasn't moving. There's things he wasn't doing that he could do. Move his head a little bit more. which was allowing to get closer to the target

and throw that right hand over the top and their left side to the body and that's what he needed to do so he was constantly pressuring Mac Moodov but they're not letting his hands go not letting his hands go and Matt Moodov all Mac Moodoooo had to do was throw punches down the line

which he did very well very clean, very neat work and also showed a good engine as well but I was saying in commentary I think he always had the good engine what you have to do is making panic when he panic he falls apart he holds on and he falls apart he brings his legs together

And that tires him out. And that was that Cabellio, when Ajik Cabell be him, Ajik Cabell just jumped on those moments when he panicked and created a bit of spice. Like what Cabell did, was kept moving his feet in and out and readjusting the distance.

And that made him miss. And Dave did make him miss. Dave thought, I'll just make him keep punching me and wear him out. But when you keep hitting the tag, even when you're tired, you get a mental satisfaction, which keeps your focus.

So when you miss, you start thinking, oh, no, I missed. And then you focus last away, and you said, I tend up and then you tire very,

and when you're a big fella, you tire dramatically quick. And then when you get caught with a shot, you've panicked even more and you see what, so you're going, can you?

Yeah. And it's just, and they both, everything feeds up each other then they're exhausted. And then you've got a real strong like, well,

mind like Dave Allen has. So Dave takes a great shot. I mean, staggering shot. Staggering shot. And he took some great shots tonight, but I tell you what,

though, those are the type of shots, Barry. They may not hurt you that much tonight, but they land. in a few years' time and that's when they can take a time.

Let's be brutally honest. I mean, you tend, not everyone, some people have built, everyone's built differently, but usually you tend to think shots like that, put years and you, miles on the clock, everyone will call it,

but they short in your career, or so they should. And so there's always a worry day. But it's not going to that. And then on the fight itself, he was, he could be box better, Matt Mood Looke's well,

but I think he also, he helped him by just walking, trying to walk him down in straight lines, and made Matt Moodov Lov, maybe a little bit better than he was. but still, I thought I moved a box really well. If MacMood have had speed in his punches, he might be the best heavy in the world.

I mean, he wouldn't be, but I mean... No, no, no, no, listen. He's just... He's massively heavy-handed. You give him a couple, because he's got heart-gut's desire. He obviously bangs. He takes a decent shot, as well, I think. By the way, yeah.

I mean, Dave... You've got to break him down, haven't you? They've almost had him a couple. I mean... End of the 9th was an opportunity. That comes a minute earlier. It's a... 30 seconds earlier. There's a really good chance.

But, you know, it's a really good chance. but listen we can't you can't the cliches you can't cry of this build build but not moved I've turned him off the ropes quite often quite well I'm surprised at stagrantly well I was surprised at that because he hasn't got the greatest as a feat but he did turn in quite well and just knew enough to hold on obviously got two points deducted for holding which could be more but the referee's discretion

of course there's no argument there and he just he just didn't have enough that's all I mean yeah and so there's no shame in it in the last rock the bell went and he's swinging like a lunatic day he was just trying to hit the tag clean you can't ask him for more than that. He is what he is.

He went down swinging. And he's honest about that. With 10,000 people in this arena. You know, in many ways, the Dave Allen story is a great story. You know, 14, 15 months ago, he's fighting in front of 300 people in a tiny place here in Sheffield.

In four-round fights against guys that have won, six and lost 14 records, those type of records. Just 14, 15 months ago. Not at the start of his career. It's a staggering story. And I agree tonight. I think he sometimes followed McMudoff

around too often. And I'll throw it out. We'll hear from Dave in a second because I did get in and speak to him and it was fairly emotional. He just done his bloods and he's just done his urine sample him with the doctors

and he was a little bit flat. We'll hear from Dave in a minute. But do you think that everybody just assumed that McMudov would fold, collapse, run out of ideas, stamina and desire? And if you stuck close enough to him

and didn't tie yourself out and you had something left in round seven, eight or nine, you could push him. That was the impression. That was the kind of impression I got. Yeah, well, I thought that. I mean, I picked Dave to win, actually. I mean, I knew it was a step up for him.

First of all, my first impression, which I usually go with, was that Matt Moodov was going to stop Dave Allen. Okay. I thought, I think it's a step too far. I mean, but then I had a good thing. I thought, you know what, though? A lot of the things that Dave does well will work against Mac Moodoff.

Like, he works the body really well. That overhand right then he throws is a really good shot. But he only threw it off a lot. times tonight. Well, he was getting caught with shots and I think the shots were hurting him. I know he takes a good shot, but he was all hurting him. It makes you more wary to throw the shot,

which means you're trying to get too close before you throw it. And then you just take too long. And then by that point, the guy's throwing punches back at you and then and so on and so forth. And you can never really get your hands go. You have to invest early. I mean, to make, I was saying

in the commentary now and again, saying he's walking him down and making him work, but this gap's there when he moved up. of can regroup. Yeah. And so he wasn't making him breathe hard enough. He was throwing lots of punches, but at his own time. What point in the fight, Barry,

sorry for him, I said, we'll hear from Dave in a minute. What point in the fight did you think this is going to go to distance here, MacMudor's going to win this? Or were you still thinking that Dave was going to stop it? No, no, no. I know Dave hurts him in the night.

No, I think, no, I think my colleagues who I work with, I think they thought that Dave's tactics, this is what he wanted to do. Yeah. No, and they were, you know, Darren and Adam, they were, I think they were pretty much saying, this is what he wants. I understood that.

And I was saying, it's a risky business, though. Like, planning on a guy is going to tire. Because what if he doesn't? Yeah. Which is what happened in many ways. And what if he... Just got a second win, round 10 and 11. And this, this narrative that we all,

and it's true that Matt Moodov has no stamina, no engine, go and watch him with Calas Tackham. Yeah. When it's all his own way, he can go all night. not because he's a big guy so he's not going to fight at a high pace but and Dave wasn't making him work hard enough but what you've got to do you've got to whack that body

and hit him in shots and make him panic a little bit and he couldn't do that so in the rounds were going by and I was thinking he's making him he's following him around he's making him work but he's still allowing him time to regroup and set himself and regulate his breathing for he throws so he's richly just

he's just a punch bag and when you hit you get confidence when you're punching so you focus more when you're hitting the tag When you miss, you start the panic and you focus wanes and you make more mistakes and then manifest yourself and you set out the tire and you tense up and all that stuff and that wasn't happening because he was having success every time he let his hands go.

And Dave called me a few shots and one time you thought he had him but there was never really a point that I thought MacBoodov was tired enough not to see it through over the line. And after seven rounds, I thought, you know, I can't see how he wins this, Dave Allen. Yeah. No, it was quite grueling and hard to watch at times. Dave had these spells. He certainly had his spells. So I waited outside the doctor's room here at the Sheffield Arena or the Utiliter, as it's called now.

And then eventually was invited in, sat down with Dave and had a chat with Dave. And I wanted to start not with the fire, but with just the atmosphere, just the whole feeling of walking out on what it felt like. just coming into that absolute wall of sound and adoration and love. I started boxing. I boxed at Dunn Valley Stadium about half a mile away. Sold about 60 tickets from my debut, 35 for my second fight, about six from my third fight, which was rare.

For me four fight, I gave away four tickets, and that's all I did. Because it was in Sunderland. And I never thought I'd do anything. I never really had many friends all my life. It was I'm hard work. I'm opinionated You can be hard work something like you. I'm opinionated, I'm hard work

and I've really had many, I never really had many friends. You told, you're told, you officially told Carl Frotch that you get done. You would get done by now and sell you. That's what I am. I mean, I've got out of gold,

but I'm opinionated and some people, I whenever that popular really because I was a bit of a gobre and I wouldn't bother to anyone for it because I was saying my truth and, thank you. Jamie likes you.

Nigel likes you. I've mellowed. bit as I got older. Definitely. I've gone to Jamie and I was at the right time. And, yeah, I feel the reading now. 10,000 people singing your name, Dave.

I've been here loads of times. I box on Kelbrook under cards and I box all around the world, really, boxing everyone's under cards. I've never seen an atmosphere like that. It might be the best atmosphere I've ever seen. Well, it's one of the best I've ever seen. I mean that.

And like I say, someone, I never really had many friends. And still not many friends, really. You left with 10,000? on tonight. Yeah, boxing is my life. Boxing is my life. I've got a few kids I take to the gym.

I've got my friends in the gym. Got my missus and the kids. David's speech to me. David's speaking to my dad. I don't know the speech. Speak to my mom and that now and again. So, yeah, it was emotional. Mad really.

I just wanted to win so bad and maybe wanted to win a little too bad maybe. I just, I don't know but gutted really, but I did try my best. But everyone, everyone could see you try your best. Did you really?

how hard it was going to be very early in the fight with his bulk and size and stuff? Did he see... I know it seems a silly question, but was he bigger and stronger than you thought he was? He ate harder than I thought. Is that right? Okay. When he hit me clean the first time, he hit me on the gloves a few times. I thought, I can set this. Every time he ate me clean, he ate me bad. I don't know if

it could you tell he ate me bad or not. No, there was a point when I thought that hurt you, because there was once or twice, you grabbed him and you held him. The rest of the time you were taking the shots. There were good shots, though, Dave. Five or six times, one of them. One of my thought I was at disco, I was spinning. Absolutely spinning. I thought me and him was, I thought we did like a six or seven pirouettes.

It looked like around Walton at one point. It was mad. Everything was spinning and then. Jay wanted to pull me out. Jay looks after me, Jay and I. We've become good friends over the years. Of course you are. But I just wanted to get to the end.

You know, the price and the clock. I've never been a quitter all my life. I've always been, I want to just be a little bastard, to be honest. I'm never a quitter. Do you know what I mean? You're not going to start tonight. I won't know. I've quit before.

Because I weren't in the mood. I was disinterested. I'm not disinterested anymore. I'm not going to have 10,000 people come here. I'm going to have Jane Nies in the gym all the time and Jackie. And I wanted to get through to the end. And after around 10, maybe, I knew I weren't going to win, but I thought I wanted to get to the end of this.

I know I've got beat. I was second best, but I want to get through to the end for everyone. But you did have him. Was it end of the ninth round? Saved by the bell might be too strong, but he was definitely gone. He was on Bambi legs, Dave. Yeah, I think he's like a top 20 guy

I think he's about to get not clean out by Johnson Joshua so this one aged too well But he's a big dangerous guy though Yeah Everyone in his boxed like 20 opponents He's beat, 19 he's stopped 13 in the first round Tack how he put down twice

He's not putting me down No I won't go down to be honest No, never You'll never see me on the floor ever So to Dave you were joking in the ring About moving down to cruise away Bridge away

Can't do Chris away Oh that's awful but you're going to have a break you're going to have a think about it. You're going to look back and have a little chat with the boys. We're going to have a little what happens. We'll speak to Jay and Nige. We'll decide.

I've done well out of the game. And you know, I've never had world title aspirations. I know what I've really... I'll tell you what's funny. Go on. I remember sitting down watching The Voice 2013. My man, she left my dad on that. We were moving around for a bit.

We were in this house, right? I remember I had three fights here. I'd never forget if we go out at the time. and I was like, I think I was free of knowing my mom were like I still came down to say and said I'm going to do anything in this game like it's too hard work

I'm not getting paid and I want to retire I can't do this and I came downstairs in I'm thinking right I've met Lange Sheffield Arena tonight 10,000 people singing in you yeah I made a lot of money

and I just I just I'm a success story really I'm a success story It's massive yeah from where I mean like from where I come from really you know

you know what's going to happen in years to come people are going to lie about tonight and they're going to lie and make out they were here and they weren't here because everyone in boxing is going to want to have been here tonight because words are going to spread about that atmosphere and the way you were

and how honest you were and how truthful you were and every person you talked to going forward is going to make out they were in the Sheffield Arena the night you went 12 rounds of Arsenal Beck I'm telling you now there'll be 30,000 people in there by the end of the year

I just wanted to win it you know I wish I were better really It's all I wish. Wish I're a bit better. Attention please. The arena floor is now a hard hat zone. Bit late for that, the arena floor.

I know. I were an half too late for me. I wish I were better, to be honest. Dave, you're good enough. Just wish I'm better. Yeah, um...

Yeah, absolutely, Jamie. He's good enough as you. Just wish I'll be better though. Do you know what I mean? Like, just it's a little bit. Just, I don't know. Life got in the way a lot over it. I could have, it's just, do you know what I mean?

Put it all into, I did diet. I dieter well, I trained. You looked fantastic. Just weren't good enough. And in a couple of days that would be all right, but now it hurts a bit. I still got pride. I know I'm not the best fight in the world,

but it still hurts a little bit. It still hurts a little bit. It doesn't hurt for me, really. Just wish I had a bit better, you know. Try better for everyone else. Well, I know one thing. You didn't let anybody down in your inner circle, in your family, your loved ones,

or the 10,000 people that paid to watch it. No, he didn't let anybody down, Dave. Wow. Well, well done, Dave. Thank you, Steve. No, it's my privilege to be in this room today. I mean, no. Dave Allen there, Barry, obviously choked up.

I mean, that was quite clear. That's why I was quite pleased that that alarm went off in the background because I didn't want to push him too much. I think he'll go away. He'll look at that, and Jamie and Nigel Travis will have a look at it. and they'll consider where they go from here because he's not an old man

but he's not a young man and it took a lot in that fight and there are still fights out there for and we'll see where it goes it seems like a harsh thing to say baby what would if you were involved with Dave Allen what would you do now

I'd say what would you advise him I said 90,000 people came out to see you tonight the atmosphere was maybe the atmosphere of the year the love was amazing Amazing. It was quite incredible, yeah.

I mean, one of times to bow out. To be fair, you've earned a couple of quid. But the problem is, there's another big fight to him. There's a British title opportunity that he might get. And he can get a bit of revenge over the Fraser Clark fight because he acknowledges he kind of quitting that fight. His heart wasn't in it. So assuming Fraser beats Jamie TKV and the 25th of October,

which is not a given at all. Don't worry about that, yeah. But what I'm saying is let's assume. Yeah, yeah, of course, yeah. then that fight seems natural, doesn't it? And it'd be an entertaining fighter, I'm sure, because Dave's a different fighter now than he was here, certainly in a different head space.

But he took a lot of punches tonight. Yeah. A lot of punches. And his forehead looked like red raw. It looked like it being burned. Yeah. It's going to be swollen tomorrow. But, you know, we say this all the time about fighters.

It's their decision. If they pass the medicals, they're okay to fight. They're not saying anything wrong with him. I'm always, I always go on about it, but it's true. I'm always worrying about not now when they get to my age. Or worse, your age. See, there's no need for that, is that old?

How will it affect you? Yeah, of course. That's all. That's that line I'm using. It's the puns that land later in life. For a few hundred thousand pounds, which is a lot of money. I understand that.

I'll be little in that. I love that. But I mean, it'll be spent by then, but then we remember spending it. It's that sort of stuff. You've got a young family and everything else, and he's providing for them. But the lure, and it's always,

it's always the same, it's all the same apart, whoever the boxes are, Whether it's millions or not. All the money, whether it's millions or 100,000 or 10 grand or five grand, whatever it is, all the biggest money in your career is at the end of your career. That's why it's hard to say. That's why it's hard to go because there's always another fight, which is good money for what you're used to.

It's always at the end of your career, which is a shame really because that's when you're not at your best. And he's got some fights out there, Dave. I mean, there's still going to be fights out there. You know, that line there about being able to spend it or being around and capable to spend it. There's a great line from Joe Bugner after he has a war on a Sunday afternoon with Ron Lyle, where Joe ends up in and out of a cold bath and he doesn't leave the house for like six weeks afterwards. Absolutely exhausted from this fight. He has an absolute war with Ron Lyle.

And Mickey Duff comes in the dressing room afterwards and says to him, that was brilliant, that was great. You're going to get loads of fights off the back of that fight. You know, America's going to love you. You're a perfect type of heavy weight. And, you know, there's going to be loads. You're going to make loads of money. and Joe Bugner says to him, listen, it's all very well making loads of money,

he said, but it's no good if you're not around to be able to count it. And I think that's true. If you can't count your money, doesn't matter what you've made. And there's a lot of fighters and certainly heavyweights around his generation than just before.

Oh my gosh, yeah. Who died way too young. People are dying in their mid-70s, no one's, no one saying nothing about it. I mean, that's young. I mean, like... Fit, healthy men. Well, it's young, unless you've got a real illness,

he's young. And so there has to be some sort of coloration there from taking the punches to that. I mean, so, and for big fellas, I mean, you know, they're heavy shots. But anyway, Dave, Dave, he's not going to retire. And I understand why. And we're hypocrites because we'll go to the fight and we're working. Absolutely.

Praise him and all the rest of it. He's good to watch because he comes forward and he comes to fight. And at a certain level, he's exceptionally good. Yeah. But that level is just, but that level is below British title level. And I'll say, he's probably his British title level, but the level just below British title level. level, he's exceptionally good.

Yeah. Let's see what he's like now with the experience and the dedication he has, what he's like a British level. This was above British level and what happens, what should always happen when you're not good enough to fight at that level, you get caught out. There's no shame in that. And he was honest about it. I don't know how good

I am. That's what he said, yeah. I'm going to find out and he found out. He didn't mean, he said it just wasn't good enough to know. And you've got a loving for this honesty about that. He doesn't blow smoke and pretend he's the best thing on the planet. He's like I'll fight anyone because I want to get but how good I am, I don't know him where there's level, he's found out now,

and he's not this level, but he's still, if he wants to, you can still compete at the lower level, British level, there's a fantastic level the box at. Whether he beat those fighters. It's irrelevant, the bottom lines, he competes. Yeah. You know what, Beau, generally when we're in the bowels

of one of these arenas, whether it's the O2, whether it's one in MNS in Liverpool, whether it's one of the two in Manchester, or this one in Sheffield or the one in Leeds, we're always in a room like this where there's discarded fast food bags and empty bottles, and all sorts of things, bandages often on the floor,

towers often on the floor. But there's a sort of really odd mood in here tonight. It's almost, and we've been in dressing rooms when fighters have lost, you know, when Josh Warrington's lost, when Michael, I've been near Michael Condon lost to Lee Wood, you know, that type of stuff. But there's something odd about it tonight.

I think there's so many people were collectively pulling for Dave Allen to pull it off. There was like a sort of a general, and I use the word again, it was like a general feeling of sort of loving an admiration for him. He's sort of every man kind of guy that he is. And that was the mood I got out there. It was a bit subdued the crowd at the end compared to what they were like, because they

were absolutely brilliant. Barry, don't go. You're nearly finished, but I did also catch up with Frank Smith to try and get a bit of an idea of not what's going to happen to Dave Allen and Arsland Beck, MacMoodle, but if there was anything else coming up, here's Frank Smith being as coy and as smart as I've ever known Frank Smith B. got to give credit to Dave Allen, firstly, because people don't take challenges like that. Dave Allen wanted to test himself against the best. Dave Allen wanted to go in there and send himself to a whole new level. And, you know, he didn't do it tonight, but he will be back.

You know, when you create an atmosphere in a crowd like this, he said to me in the ring, he was like, do you think they'll come back for me again? I was like, a million percent. Be more than a million percent. Because he is just the most lovable guy that everyone wants to see do well, you know? And he's created that for himself. But, look, fair play to Arsenal, bet. This is a fickle sport boxing where, you know, he gets beat by Ajit Khabayal,

who's now in the top, what, 5, 10 in the world. And arguably, like, gone on to have huge wins. He has the fight against, I think it was Vianello. He has his eye, bad eye. And people was like, oh, he's finished. He's finished, yeah. He's such a fickle sport. All you got to go four rounds and he'll fall over.

And, you know, but credit to Dave Allen, because he could have taken any other fight, but he wanted to test himself. And that's what spork should all be about. And he's so brutally honest, David. He just when he said, it just wasn't good enough tonight. I just wasn't good enough tonight. And I think, I'm going to, you know, I think he got it maybe a little bit wrong.

I think he could have put a bit more pressure on in that third and fourth when he had a really couple of good rounds. And Arsenal, Beck, you absolutely credit to the big lad. He had to dig so deep. 100%. But Dave was saying just how hard Arslan Beck punched. He could not quite believe. But obviously, Arsumbeck came up to me in the ring and I didn't understand everything,

but he said, chin, wow, abnormal. About Dave Not mine He's definitely talking about Dave It might be yours Chin, wow, abnormal I've got to ask us It's a straightforward question really Frank

What in an ideal world Would you do with Dave Allen now Because I mean Dave Allen's going to be He'll do anything he's asked to do As we know I honestly think he can go into Any of these fights

Against these top guys But also I've kept saying it Not just as an opponent Like when you create knights Like this atmospheres like this You're not just an opponent. You've got huge value.

You can have huge ratings. You can be at the top of the rankings. But if you can't create nights like this, it doesn't mean as much. That's the reality of it. Dave Allen can do that. Dave Allen's got power now in the heavyweight division. He didn't get the win tonight,

but he can go in there. He can get big fights and make big fights. He's talked about the British title. That's an interesting fight. Obviously, Fraser Clark's fighting TKV for that on October 25th. You know, the winner of that, massive fight.

Big Dave, and the winner of that would be absolutely perfect. Especially as Dave's got a bit of history with Fraser because he acknowledges that wasn't him in the ring that night when as he said I quit you know I didn't fancy it wasn't going my way and I quit you know he tells the truth as the way Dave does well what about a rematch for that big thing the big lad the big rush and everyone loves him wow chin well come on Frank get him back we'll get chint back I mean Dave did say to me in the ring what about I go for a bridgerweight world title and I don't think he realized that

it's 41 pounds less than he weighed tonight he actually said cruiserweight but when he was being interviewed by Jamie said bridge weight to me I've got to ask a little bit, a little bit of housekeeping, if I can, going forward with different bits and pieces. When are we going to get to know what's happening in Monaco? I mean, apart from the fact that it's a great Monday. Monday. Well, that's really fantastic.

Thanks for that. And Somagel shall be announced on Monday. Now, is that, we keep, I keep hearing about an AJ fight this year, late this year, as opposed to next year. Can you throw any light on that without giving too much away? I can't bring any light. I'm got any light. No more light.

It's late, there's no light. If I'll give you a torch, can you just give me a clue? Oh, well, you know. Have you got a torch? No. I used to think the torch on my phone was an app until people put me wide. There's no surprises anymore. You know, do you know what?

We managed to keep Ben Whittaker signing a secret, so now we're going to keep everything secret because it's much more effective. But the way you kept Ben Whittaker signing a secret is by having him out so far in public with you, that everyone thought, no, that can't be. It can't be true. Because if they were signing him, they would keep him under wraps. So that was a brilliant sort of care.

It's to sort of be a counterintuitive behavior. We're playing games now. And would there be a date announced on Monday also for Ben's fight, which we're assuming is whenever it is? Okay, so are there going to be some shows that I don't know about announced? Yes. I know we're going to go to Monaco. Not on Monday, but I think at a later date there will be some other shows

we're working on for the rest of December. Okay, so a busy month, December? December is going, I mean, all I can say to you is... Let me give a torch out. I think we've got six shows. between end of November and December. So it's going to be a busy few weeks. We're going to be working on the 20th of December, aren't we?

I know we are. You haven't even got to say anything, Frank. I know we're going to be working on the 20th of December. Maybe the comeback of Dave Allen, maybe Aslan Beck-McMoodov in a sixth rounder. Who cares, who knows? I enjoyed it tonight. I loved it.

I mean, these are the nights, you know, when you look back to three weeks ago in Belfast, Crocker Donovan, 20,000 people in Windsor Park, 10,000 people in here tonight. People who say boxing is, you know, look, everyone's always a crew. critic about boxing and critic about the sport.

But tonight's show why the sport is thriving. Look at Junae Boston against Bilau Fowahua as well. What a great fight. Respect to both those guys. You know, it's a great time for the sport. And I'm excited about what's ahead. Well, why is it, Frank? This casual assertion, all the game in Britain's struggling.

Is it because we've become a little bit spoiled? Because we just casually had that night in Belfast, 23,000 or whatever. Four weeks later, we're going to be. getting 10,000 to watch Dave Allen. Those are the crowds, and I'm old enough to remember, two fights like that, you know, in a three or four-month period would be staggering

in any decade, apart from this last 10 years. Are we spoiled because we haven't had a 90,000er for like five weeks or six weeks? I know, look, we had 70,000 a few weeks a few months ago with Eubank Ben. You know, we're going to have that again in November as well. But look, it's the sport we're in. But it helps us all push forward to keep delivering in the sport.

You know, we know what we need to do. But it's a great time. It's a great time. The noise in here tonight was sensational. And fair play to all the fighters, especially my man, Dave Allen. He deserves all the respect in the world and you'll see him back out. Frank, if I put this mic down and I see you get a torch out, I'm going to be really upset. Got one here, mate.

Frank, thanks very much. Cheers, mate. So that was Frank Smith, the CEO of Match Room. Obviously, Eddie Hearns overseas somewhere. So Frank Smith saying basically, you know, obviously we're going to get some announcement about Wittaker. We're going to get something about him. And so we should.

And we're going to get maybe some announcement about other fights and maybe some announcements about other fights. He was being very coy there. So we know we're going to get something. But Ben Whittaker, well, I'm a Ben Whittaker fan. You know, I'm a massive Ben Whittaker fan. Yeah, I am as well. You know, I'm speaking to Ben on a live.

on a news channel. And I said, I'm not a fan of what you do. All the show, Bodie, I'm not a fan of it, but do more of it. It's a great line. He's used it before,

but it's a great line that, I said to him on Sky Sports News. I said, I'm not a fan of what you do. Carry on something. It doesn't adhere to me, but you should do more of it because you're a good fighter, but that's what sets you apart.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's why you become an internet sensation. And he's good at doing it. He's good at doing all the fancy Ben Whitaker-style stuff, yeah. When he went, when he had him on his, in the show in Saudi against Liam Cameron

they had him on for that they had him on to do all that and he tried and he wanted to show his toughness and he tried to involve the war and struggle so now do what you do best if that's a I mean

it might be a shelf life that you might get knocked out at the highest level but you are I'm much of believing on more than ever before if what and I've always have been actually if what you do best doesn't work

then what you've been working on for six weeks or eight weeks or 12 I'll be, she's not going to be good enough anyway. I mean, you're going to have a few tactical things to change. Your style is your style. And if you've got a showboat to express yourself, people are not going to like it,

but that's what you do, that's what you do. And I think that's for him. He needs to be loose and languid. He needs to be, and by that it's a showboating, I mean, it's a risky game, but that's so he feels sharp. That's when you get the magic out of him. And he's never going to be a knockout artist, and all these things you can do better,

but I think he just needs to express himself that way. And they might get him knocked out. but trying to dog it out like he against Liam Cameron doesn't get him to a world title shot. And also, you don't sign him to be fighting like someone else. You sign him to fight like Ben Wittitton. Times free. Exactly.

Well said Barry Jones. We all said Barry Jones. Barry, listen, it's been a great, it's been a, it's been a, it's a really entertaining night here tonight, a really fun night, even if, even if Dave Allen and we didn't get the ending everyone. Congratulations to the big lad, Arsenal Beck, MacMoodov.

He wrestles bears. He hunts down pigs just with a dog and a knife. He says, well, those are the stories. Dave Allen, well, we'll find out what he's going to do. MacMudoff, he'll carry on doing what he does. We'll be back next week. Between now and Christmas, there is one single weekend, we don't think. There's a couple of fights going to be announced.

There might not be a single weekend between now and Christmas, which is quite a staggering for. Barry, thank you very much. So Big Dave Allen, 10,000 people came out. he was in tears at the end talking to me in the doctor's room. They loved him, they sang for him, they made as much noise. As Barry said, maybe the atmosphere of the year. We've had some good atmospheres this year.

We've got plenty more coming up atmosphere-wise before the end of the year. It just seems like a very long winter of fights. Absolutely fantastic. I'm Steve Bunce, and this has been five live boxing. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. Featuring the stars of women's cricket. Smash, straight back. Eight teams.

Lakes the cap. One winner. Australia to lift the World Cup trophy. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. She does not be a thing. Hear the action with Radio 5 Sports Extra. And keep up to date with the TMS podcast on BBC Sounds.