Allen vs Hrgovic Predictions: Once more into the breach for ‘White Rhino’

David Allen has home advantage as world class Croatian Filip Hrgovic travels to the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster for a 10-round heavyweight showdown. The bout headlines live on DAZN with an undercard featuring the likes of Louie O’Doherty, Michael Gomez Jr and Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev.

Keep reading for my Allen vs Hrgovic predictions ahead of this heavyweight throwdown.

Allen vs Hrgovic Odds

‘White Rhino’ has a tremendous task ahead, with 6/1 odds of Allen clinching victory on home turf. Highly regarded Hrgovic is a 1/9 prospect while the draw is marketed at 20/1.

Allen vs Hrgovic Fight Preview

One week on from Fabio Wardley’s searing testament to heavyweight toughness against Daniel Dubois, we are once again gearing up to witness another of the blue riband division’s most enduring survivors.

Allen’s trajectory is unusual in this record-obsessed modern era of boxing discourse. ‘The Doncaster De La Hoya’ is 25-8-2. He has been knocked out four times and his only championship is the WBA Inter-continental heavyweight bauble. 

And yet there are few active British fighters as beloved as David Allen. Who else would have taken the double-death knell of Luis Ortiz and Dillian Whyte in back-to-back fights? Would have stepped in front of Olympic medalists Tony Yoka and Frazer Clarke while they were unbeaten and on the rise? Would have been allowed his pick of opponents for a Sheffield Arena headliner and chosen Arslanbek Makhmudov?

Most pertinently, who else would have taken a frightening beating from Makhmudov for 12 rounds and chosen Filip f**king Hrgovic for their celebratory homecoming? Allen’s will to fight anyone and everyone has meant that he is beloved far beyond the confines of a modest ring record.

There have been wins of course. Former WBA regular heavyweight holder Lucas Browne was annexed in three rounds back in 2019. Johnny Fisher pipped Allen to a controversial split decision in December 2024. Allen left no doubt in the May 2025 rematch, KO’ing his man in five rounds. 

But Allen, like Derek Chisora before him, is defined by more than statistics. They share an old school willingness to fight. Because they are fighters and they see the accommodation of any and all challenges as part of the job description. A rare quality in the ring-fenced era of ‘0’ protection that dawned with Floyd Mayweather’s cautious ascent to the P4P throne.

Hrgovic is arguably as good as it gets outside the world champions in the heavyweight division. The big Croatian is 19-1 with 14 knockouts. His swelling ledger includes wins over Zhilei Zhang, Eric Molina, Rydell Booker, Joe Joyce and David Adeleye. Filip’s sole reverse came at the hands of newly-minted WBO heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois in a punishing contest. Only the very best get past this guy.

Hrgovic is three inches taller than 6’3 Allen. He is an Olympic bronze medalist and a fixture in the professional world rankings in recent years. The 33-year-old has won twice in England before, decisioning Joyce and knocking out Australia’s Demsey McKean. Very little about the task ahead will faze him.

This is a different sort of outing for Allen than Makhmudov, despite the similarities. The savage way in which Dave put things right against Fisher in their rematch had many, myself included, a little giddy. Makhmudov is a murderous puncher but was seen as damaged goods, having lost to world class Agit Kabayel and, in particular, Italian gatekeeper Guido Vianello. 

Momentum is its own attribute in boxing, one you cannot sculpt on the speed ball or pound out on the heavy bag. Allen had retired from boxing in 2020. A low-key withdrawal of a cult figure. But since returning his astounding feats against Fisher had elevated him from respected to lauded. With Makhmudov having undergone the opposite trajectory, it was felt that momentum could carry Allen to hitherto unforeseen heights.

It was not to be. Boxing has a cruel way of selling you a fairytale then writing a downer ending. Allen was far from shamed. He battled and toiled and persisted and survived. That was its own kind of victory. Makhmudov the murderous puncher had to settle for a wide points nod in Leeds. But the defeat appeared to put a cap on Allen’s ambitions in the division. A win would have seen him world ranked but a loss seemed to confine him to existence as a much-loved domestic concern.

In the aftermath, a fight with British heavyweight champion Jeamie TKV was mentioned. That seemed like a fine epitaph. A chance for ‘The Doncaster De La Hoya’ to depart with the Lord Lonsdale belt against a foe who would be a narrow favourite rather than an overwhelming one.

But here we are seven months removed from the Makhmudov defeat and TKV has lost that title by knockout to former cruiserweight world champion Richard Riakporhe. Allen, meanwhile, has brushed off the cobwebs with a brutal first-round knockout of journeyman Karim Berredjem. And, rather than a scintillating shot at the British title, Allen is headlining his home stadium against one of the best heavyweights on the planet.

This feels far more Dave Allen than any bid at domestic respectability. He’s already loved. Tales of Doncaster’s’ White Rhino’ will endure longer than those of many previous holders of the prestigious British belt. His legacy is secure. It is a legacy built on fighting global superstars with the odds stacked against him. It is a legacy built on fighting men like Filip Hrgovic.

Allen vs Hrgovic Full Card

David Allen vs Filip Hrgovic

Louie O'Doherty vs Ahmed Hatim

Michael Gomez Jnr vs Lee McGregor

Joe Hayden vs Ryan Frost

Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev vs TBA

Ted Jackson vs Mike Byles

Bradley Casey vs TBA

Leighton Birchall vs Leonardo Baez

Kian Hamilton vs Les Urry

John Tom Varey vs Stephen Jackson

Maxi Hughes vs Lewis Sylvester

Carl Fail vs Dean Sutherland

Allen vs Hrgovic Prediction

This won’t make for pleasant reading for those of us who have been captivated by Allen’s bravery and crowd-pleasing style over the years. But there is not a facet of this fight which favours Allen.

Hrgovic is not flashy but he is effective. The jab-first orthodoxy of his approach has proven insurmountable for 19 of his 20 opponents. The other just became a two-time heavyweight champion of the world. 

Hrgovic is not infallible. Zhang had him looking ragged and exhausted in their weirdly-absorbing, slow-motion smackdown back in 2022. But, again, you’re talking about one of the best non-champions in the division there. Allen is a warrior but he is yet to prove he truly belongs at world level.

Hrgovic isn’t as explosive as Makhmudov and Allen survived that onslaught. But he took some frightening punishment from the big Russian. With the duty of referees and the corner to stop fights in a timely manner at the forefront of the discourse following Wardley taking far too much against Dubois last weekend, I can see caution being used here. The sort of caution that will allow Allen to endure no more than nine rounds of the violence Hrgovic has to offer. 

I’m picking Hrgovic to break Doncaster hearts with a stoppage win before the toll of the bell for round 10. Hrgovic by knockout in rounds 6-10 is priced at 9/4.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.