Fan favourite Dave ‘The White Rhino’ Allen 18-5-2 (15) has announced his retirement from boxing effective immediately.
The 28-year-old heavyweight, who has shared the ring with Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, Lucas Browne, David Price and Tony Yoka, was recently in camp with Oleksandr Usyk to help the former undisputed cruiserweight champion prepare for Dereck Chisora.
“I hoped I would never have to write this message, never mind at 28 with my last fight being when I was 27 years old but I made the decision a few nights ago with my sister that I would no longer from that moment on be a professional fighter,” Allen posted to Instagram.
“Boxing has given me a life I could never have dreamed of, I had never been out of Doncaster but for school trips until I started boxing and it’s taken me round the world from New York City to all around the UK.
“As well as seeing the world it has taken me from the kid brought up in a council house with yellow doors wearing Umbro to a man who still wears Umbro but owns a few houses and who has given myself a chance to give my future kids a life I could only have dreamed of.
“On top of and more importantly I have made the greatest friends, some of them being my childhood heroes. The list of thanks would be far too long but I hope everyone knows who they are and know they are appreciated.
“Lastly the reason for me calling it a day is simple, I don’t want to get punched anymore.
“Long gone are the days of the kid from Doncaster who just wants to fight. All I want now is a nice quiet life with a wife and some kids healthy and happy getting nice and fat.”