"I think it would be the ideal fight for me. I think it would be a nightmare for Dave, to be honest"
Tuesday 7 January 2020 17:15, UK
Fabio Wardley has welcomed talk of a fight against David Allen after being named as a possible opponent by the 'White Rhino', who is targeting a British title in 2020.
Allen returns on the Kell Brook-Mark DeLuca bill in Sheffield on February 8, live on Sky Sports, and remains determined to challenge for a major belt by the end of the year.
A rematch with Nick Webb could be a more immediate aim, with Allen rebuilding following a loss to David Price, but the 27-year-old then hopes he can fight the likes of Wardley or Nathan Gorman for the Lonsdale title.
"The Webb rematch is one I could see down the line," Allen told Sky Sports, when asked about his future plans. "I think I need two or three steady jobs to come back to.
"Nick Webb is a good fighter, a nice man, but I don't think he will reach British title level. I would love to fight him, maybe in an eliminator, or just in a fight.
"I really like Fabio. I sparred with him a year ago, I think he's a lovely fella and he's a good fighter as well. He keeps improving. I see him being in the British title picture in the next 12 months.
"Him and Nathan Gorman, they are the youth of the heavyweight division. They are the young pretenders coming up and they'll have to beat a man like me for the British title, if they want to win it and progress. Those two are the first that come to mind when I think of prospects in the heavyweight division."
Wardley firstly wants an English title fight with Simon Vallily to be rescheduled after an eye injury put the bout on hold, but would relish a Brit battle with Allen in the future.
The 25-year-old, who is unbeaten in eight fights, told Sky Sports: "If anything it gives me a buzz that someone like Dave Allen, who was headlining his own show at The O2, and has had big fights with big names, is now saying that he wants to fight me.
"I'm going to take a lot of inspiration from that really, that I'm on my way up and I'm making some noise. That's definitely a fight that I would love to have.
"I think it would be the ideal fight for me. I think it would be a nightmare for Dave, to be honest. I just don't think our styles go together well for him.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not as big and I'm not as tall and rangy as David Price, but I can box you just the same. I can pick you and move. I do think it would be the worst option for him, but if he wants it, I'm there. I would happily have it."
Listen to an interview with David Allen on this Wednesday's Toe 2 Toe podcast.
