Dave Allen has played an invaluable role as a sparring partner for boxing’s biggest stars.
During a punishing early portion of his career, ‘The White Rhino’ shared the ring with some of the best big men of his generation, including Oleksandr Usyk, Wladimir Klitschko, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Instagram – Dave AllenAllen has sparred the best heavyweights of his generation[/caption]
While most of the aforementioned names earned millions for the fights, Allen helped them prepare for, the Brit earned considerably less for his important part.
In some cases, he pocketed a decent four-figure wage for the hazardous job, although in others, he went home empty-handed.
In an exclusive peek behind the curtain, Allen revealed all to talkSPORT.com about sparring pay.
“The most I earned in sparring was with Wladimir Klitschko,” said Allen.
“I lied about my height, I lied about my weight, and I lied about my fitness levels to get into that camp.
“I wasn’t there for long, but he was a lovely fella. Klitschko would have 10 sparring partners, he was the ultimate professional.
“I was earning £1500 a week, and everyone was on the same money.
“He was spending nearly £100,000 on sparring partners.
“He was the ultimate professional. We sparred hard, there were no prisoners taken.
“But for that money, I didn’t complain.
Instagram – Dave AllenKlitschko paid Allen more than anyone else to spar[/caption]
“Usyk also paid very well, £2000 for two weeks.”
While the Ukrainians pulled out all the stops for their sparring partners, the Brits tend to be much stingier.
“I didn’t get paid to spar AJ because I was sparring him when we were both amateurs,” Allen added.
“I also sparred him during his first three years as a pro, and I probably should have been paid then, but we were kind of mates.
“Tyson [Fury] used to slip me a few quid, but he was always really nice to me, we were friends.
“I would always do the initial few rounds, he would ease his way in, and then he would go and beat some poor fella up after me.
Dave Allen’s sparring pay
Wladimir Klitschko – £1500 a week
Oleksandr Usyk – £1000 a week
Tyson Fury – £120 a session
Anthony Joshua – £0
“I sparred ahead of his comeback fights with Seferi and Pianetta at Ricky Hatton‘s gym.
“There was a KFC around the corner, and he gave me money for fuel, a oner [£100] for sparring and an extra £20, which I would go around the corner to get some KFC with.”
Sparring is by far the best way to fine-tune your skills as a boxer.
However, it is also where the most damage is done.
Before boxers step into the ring to duke it out over 12 stanzas, they rack up hundreds of rounds of punishment behind closed doors.
Some sparring sessions can be even more brutal than the fights themselves.
Allen is all too familiar with this harsh reality, having briefly hung up his gloves in 2020 after being knocked out on his feet by Usyk in his gym in Ukraine.
Recalling the scary scenes, he said at the time: “To be honest, when I sparred Usyk he knocked me unconscious.
“I never went over, I finished the round. But I can remember him hitting me.
“The rest of the round – next thing I knew I was stood outside the ring, packing my bag.
“I was concussed, so that was the last straw.
“I’m not an idiot, so I know when it’s time to finish.
“Yeah, a lot of money could’ve been made, but at what cost? Being embarrassed.
“Being hurt is one thing, but being embarrassed is another.”
Since then, Allen has returned to the ring to revive his career with a massive knockout win over popular British prospect Johnny Fisher.
His name is now in the mix to box former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, who is also on the comeback trail.
