Dave Allen: Frazer Clarke 'nowhere near' as good as Anthony Joshua or Joe Joyce

Popular Conisbrough heavyweight Allen will take on Tokyo bronze medallist Clarke at Manchester’s AO Arena this Saturday, with a shot at the British heavyweight title in the pipeline for the winner.

Allen has sparred with some of the best fighters in the division, including Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, and shared rounds with AJ, Joyce and Clarke during their time on the Team GB squad in Sheffield.

"He (Clarke) is nowhere near their (AJ and Joyce’s) level," said the 31-year-old.

"He could be world class but he’s not on a Joyce or AJ level.”

Clarke has made a solid, if unspectacular, start to his professional career.

The 32-year-old has won all seven of his fights to date but has yet to be tested in the way Allen plans to ruffle his feathers.

Allen, who is planning to weigh in at a career-heaviest despite feeling fitter than ever, wants to drag the “world-class boxer” into a war.

"That’s what I hope to make it, a real rough affair” he said.

"If we take away his jab that will negate the distance between us. We take away his jab and we go to work.

"If it becomes about who the tougher man is I think I’m up there with the toughest in the world.

"He’s a world-class boxer but there’s world-class boxers and world-class fighters.”

Allen is returning to boxing’s big stage following a four-year absence.

He is unbeaten in his four fights since losing to another former Olympian, David Price, at London’s O2 Arena in 2019 but has boxed just eight rounds in that time, which has included large spells of inactivity.

Meanwhile, Clarke has already fought three times this year.

“My only worry for this fight is inactivity,” admitted Allen, who will be cornered by former British, Commonwealth and European super welterweight champion Jamie Moore this weekend.

"For a fighter it’s probably one of the biggest issues you can get.

"I do worry about it but I have been proactive, doing lots of sparring and being very active, to try and negate that.

"I’m confident of winning the fight but I’m a realist. I know how good Frazer Clarke is.”