Below are a selection of quotes from the final Johnny Fisher vs Dave Allen 2 press conference ahead of Saturday’s huge heavyweight rematch at London’s Copper Box Arena, shown live worldwide on DAZN.
Johnny Fisher:
“Thank you to everyone that has purchased a ticket and everyone that will be watching around the world, it’s always very humbling and I always put my best performance on. It’s been good this time in training, relaxing in between sessions in Fuertaventura, it was a great camp over there with Mark and Sunny and some good sparring partners, and I’m looking forward to putting on a show for everyone and one thing is for sure, when I get that crowd behind me, I am what I am, I go in there and it’s going to be a tear-up. As much as I train to do this and that, I’m going to go toe-to-toe and there’s not much choice in that matter as that’s just the way I’m wired.
“I’ve done 10 rounds in a position where I was a bit incapacitated really from the second round onwards and I got caught. But I know that if I had someone in that position, they wouldn’t be getting to the 10th round. I know I can be in there, take those shots and come out firing in the final round. So, I can draw huge confidence from that, that I can be in that state and still come out swinging in the final round, it’s exciting. You add in the 12th man of the Romford Bull Army in the background as well, it’s going to be rocking in there.
“The people who come to support me aren’t just fans, they are my friends and family, and when I go and fight, they are with me all the time and it does make me emotional when I think about it. I’m very proud, it’s a team effort, my Mum and Dad, my Mum does the t-shirts for everyone, and she’s been stressed, I saw her at the Brewery yesterday with everyone asking her for things. That’s what motivates me, it’s everyone behind me, my community, my friends, my family, it gives me strength and helps me come through. I’m just excited to lay it all on the line. When I look back on my career in 10, 20, 30 years time, I want to be able to say I gave it 110 per cent every time I got in the ring and that’s why people come and support me.
“I’m well conditioned, I’ve been out there training and replenishing. Last time, if I’m honest, I wasn’t well conditioned because of the work I was doing ahead of the cancelled shows. Now I’ve had a replenished camp, I’ve trained diligently, and I can try and say I will do this and that, you’ve seen me box, I really only know how to have a tear-up, I’m in a better position to do that and I’m just going to absolutely let me hands go.”
Dave Allen:
“This is probably the first fight I’ve ever looked forward to really from starting out as a kid. I never really wanted to box, but I wanted to box more than I wanted to go to work. So I went to the boxing gym like my Dad did, I did alright, and before you know it I’m boxing Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, and it became unenjoyable as I was boxing the best Heavyweights in the world as a novice, and it got really hard, I won a few and lost a few, and I completely fell out of love with it by the time the first fight with Johnny came around.
“But something just clicked that night, I don’t know what it was. I really enjoyed the ten rounds we had, but at times I really didn’t. It’s taken me 17 years to think ‘I’ve got half an idea of what I am doing here’. This can’t come quick enough, and I can’t wait to get in there and box.
“I’ve been with Jamie and Nigel properly since October, I was straight back in there after the first fight. I’ve been a bit hit-and-miss with the food, but I enjoyed Christmas. Pat Brown is in the gym, and I have to show him who the man is on a daily basis, so I push myself and this is the right level. In the first fight, if Johnny is very good, I probably get beat and if he’s not, I win the fight. The first fight showed we’re on the same level, it was really competitive, and the second one is about if Johnny has improved past me or if the activity and staying in the gym will see me over the line.
“I’ve lost seven times so I would be a fool to sit here and say I can’t lose. But I’ve lost to an Olympic gold medalist, two Olympic bronze medalists, two World title challengers, I’ve not lost to mugs. Johnny is a good fighter, but I think I am getting better, as mad as that may seem. I sent the missus house shopping and we’re looking for ones with en-suites, I can’t believe it, we’re going to get an en-suite, so I need to keep winning and I’m just enjoying my life, I never thought life would be this good and I’d enjoy boxing so much. So yes, I think I’ll win on Saturday night but I’m not a fool, I’ve lost seven times, there’s endless possibilities.
“I’ve got about 73 people coming down from Doncaster so it’s going to be bouncing in there for me. I’ve boxed everywhere. I boxed Dillian in Leeds, remember that? I was shitting myself when he walked to the ring. Tony Yoka in France, they booed me over there, so I’ve seen it all. If Johnny is better than me, he wins, if I’m better than him, I win. I’m looking forward to the crowd, the atmosphere and experiencing all of that, but when the bell goes it’s just me and him. There’s not another fella I would want to do this with, and I want to set up the trilogy, and to do that, I’ve got to win so I’m very confident of doing that.
“I think I probably win on points, which is very boring isn’t it! We’ll see how he approaches it; I would have won the first one in this shape, but he’ll be better now. I’m fitter and sharper, but he’ll be better for the experience, so I’ll do what I always do – I’ll come out in the first round and throw three punches, I’ll throw six in round two, seven in round three, four in round four then we’ll go to work and throw 12 punches a round. We know that if I hit him, I can hurt him, but he’s a tough fella, a good fighter, he’ll be improved. I’m pretty confident I can do the job.”
The Fisher-Allen rematch takes place this Saturday, May 17, live on DAZN from 7pm, with the main event ringwalks expected from 10pm.
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