Saturday, May 16
DAZN, 11:00 am ET, Allen vs Hrgovic prelims. Also on YouTube, etc., like always.
DAZN, 12:30 pm ET, Granit Stein vs Diego Carmona. From Ingolstadt, Germany. Super middleweights in the main event. Stein (20-1-1, 11 KO) is ranked #138 in the world by BoxRec despite the fairly pretty record, because the fairly pretty record is quite empty and his loss was a bad one, a six-rounder in New York to an 8-7-3 club fighter the one time he tried to leave Germany. He turned pro in 2014 and Carmona (14-3, 11 KO) might
be the best fighter he’s fought to date, and he’s at #189 with BoxRec because his record is also empty. Mexico’s Carmona has been to Germany before, losing a decision to Serkay Comert in 2024. He’s 1-2 outside of Mexico, the win coming in Panama in 2022.
Dave Allen vs Filip Hrgovic (DAZN, 1:00 pm ET)
BLH will have live results and updates
From Doncaster, England. Allen’s hometown and he’ll be headlining at Eco-Power Stadium, formerly Keepmoat Stadium or “The Moat.” The home of Doncaster Rovers FC, who currently sit 14th of 24 in the League One table. Capacity for football is a little over 15,000, this isn’t one of the huge football stadiums or anything, it’s a smaller club.
Anyway, I’m saying all the little things I find interesting up front because I think this is a pretty lousy fight. Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KO) is a legitimate top 10 guy. Not great, but a legitimate contender. Allen (25-8-2, 20 KO) is not and has proven many times over he is not. Allen himself doesn’t think that he is. Allen himself has said several times he is a good, domestic-level fighter.
Allen is popular and likable for good reasons, he is a lovely guy but there are several miles between beating Johnny Fisher and beating Filip Hrgovic, and I’m not sure what the appeal is at this point for even Allen’s fans to tune in and see him very predictably lose again, but maybe a miracle is set and Allen has by some distance the best night of his career at 34. It’s boxing, crazy things do happen.
On the undercard: Louie O’Doherty vs Ahmed Hatim for the British and Commonwealth lightweight titles … Michael Gomez Jr vs Lee McGregor which could be a good action fight … Maxi Hughes vs Lewis Sylvester as Hughes is going to give it another run at 140 after being dominated by Pierce O’Leary in a move up in March.
DAZN, 6:30 pm ET, Keyshawn vs Albright 2 prelims. He’s Keyshawn now. Like Canelo, or Zurdo, or Cher. We’re seeing this more for “fight titles,” like, Shakur Stevenson is Shakur, not Stevenson. Boring/common last names in particular are being cast aside if someone has a cool first name or nickname first name. There’s plenty of Alvarez/Ramirez/Davis/Stevenson people in the world. Not as many Shakurs or Zurdos. I get it and think it’s fine. You’re more likely to remember “Keyshawn” than “Davis,” so for marketing it makes sense.
Keyshawn Davis vs Nahir Albright 2 (DAZN, 8:00 pm ET)
BLH will have live results and updates
From Norfolk, Virginia, at the great Norfolk Scope, formerly a top Mid-Atlantic pro wrestling venue. It’s a cool arena. I have thoughts on buildings.
Anyway, this is the first proper Top Rank card for their new deal with DAZN after ESPN passed on renewing with them, which was always pretty much inevitable and after nearly a year of exploring any other option possible, they wound up having to do the deal with DAZN because you can’t keep running free shows on “Top Rank Classics,” it’s not sustainable. It was this or sell, basically.
ANYWAY-anyway, this is a rematch from a 2023 fight which Keyshawn initially won, though it was much closer than their side expected, a majority decision, and then was changed to a no-contest when Keyshawn failed a drug test for marijuana. Then last year, Albright beat Keyshawn’s older, less talented brother Kelvin, and there was a whole to-do backstage in this same building where the Davis clan got into it with Albright. Albright most recently fought to a draw with Frank Martin in February.
The thing is, Albright is a legit fighter. He’s never had the kid-gloves handling of his career that comes from being with a major promoter who wants to build you up, but the guy can box. Keyshawn is a serious talent when he’s being serious about his talent, and he looked absolutely dialed in when he dominated Jamaine Ortiz in January, returning from a self-imposed break from boxing, which probably was a smart thing for him to get his head on straight.
On the undercard: Not the most star-studded affair or anything, but some notable names in action … Former welterweight titlist Brian Norman Jr looks to bounce back against Josh Wagner … The aforementioned Kelvin Davis faces Peter Dobson, which is well-matched on paper, another welterweight scrap … Keon Davis, the youngest of the Davis Bros. trio and to some the potentially most talented, is in a six-rounder at 154 against Edwine Humaine Junior.
