By whom? 5 people on the internet? lmao. He was touted for his power and amateur pedigree but most of his fans(myself included) criticized his bad habits and said they would come back to bite him long before the Kabayel fight.
Makh has been assumed to have potential way beyond what he's proved capable of in the past... But without proving it, it's purely speculation. Allen only really gets credit for what he's proven. In other words, the biggest difference is hype.
I meant in comparison to the epic grandiosity of the poster. Yeah, it's a fine match that's more of a solid undercard match than a headliner. With that said, it's certainly more worthy of headlining a card than Frazer Clarke vs. Jeamie TKV.
Allen's best wins are Fisher, who'd beaten no one, and 40 Lucas Browne who'd soon be KO'd in 1 by a rugby player. He legitimately lost to Lenroy Thomas, a very low level fighter. He was stopped by Ortiz in 7, prime juiced Yoka in 10, Price in 10 (quitjob) and Clarke in 6 (quitjob). He's taken massive damage in fights and sparring and has shown an increasing tendency to quit. Makhmudov is a very flawed and limited heavyweight but he carries serious power and he's got 2 losses rather than 7, both to guys who'd school or batter Allen in Kabayel and Vianello. And despite a much shorter career he's got better wins than Allen: 96-92 over 41 Takam, KO6 over 42 Wach (the first time Wach had been dropped) and KO7 over Rice. Makhmudov would be Allen's best win for my money, whereas Allen would be Makhmudov's 4th or so. I don't see this as a 50-50.
I don't get it. I know Dave's likeable and he's coming off a KO win but his level should be clear by now. He wasn't good enough to beat L. Thomas and he got schooled and retired by Price, who always got stopped inside 7 at Hammer-level and above. Judging from his wins, Makhmudov is better than Price and I'd favour him to shatter Price's chin before his got shattered.
Watch the Jonathon Rice fight where he was far more measured - consistently jabbed and cut the ring off to secure the stoppage. He had a lengthy amateur background where he knocked out some top guys. Very clearly he's more capable than winging haymakers and uppercuts nonstop. But again no one has really hyped Makh lmao. 5 ESB people is not hype. Allen was hyped far more by English boxing fans who are well known to be hyperbolic.
Yeah I'd have to agree, a lot of people do overrate Dave Allen. A similar situation was in 2019 when he knocked out a very faded Lucas Browne off the roids, got a lot of hype, then got badly outclassed by David Price in which most people expected Allen to stop Price.
The casual crowd has been suckered in for years by the loveable loser persona, and Allen provides them with that kind of character to get behind.