Dave Allen is the ex-Supply teacher who has become a boxer who conquered gambling addiction

Dave Allen has lived several lives, from the teacher from the food school to gambling addict and now, luckily, a beloved boxer.

Allen started as an amateur of 16 years and only had ten attacks before he became professional in 2012 – the chance to become a member of the GB team.

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He was 20 when he made his debut, but only three years later all had only fought seven times and he needed money.

The heavyweight ended each other As a sparring partner – earning about £ 500 a week – but it wasn’t enough.

So he got a job as a teacher for the offer – lying on his resume to get the performance – before he returned to the ring in 2015.

But by that time all was grabbed by a horrible gambling addiction that started after a bet of £ 1 in the horses with his father when he was only eight.

And after he was introduced on online bets, the life of the boxer started to spiral.

He said bravely on ex-midden-midweight champion Darren Barker’s podcast: “It just really snowed.

“I went to the bookmakers and played there on the machines, they were great times.

“But the online stuff is where it got bad for me because it was so easy, they were figures on the screen.

‘Probably in the worst case? It’s hard to really say. I didn’t gamble that much in my early 1920s, but I gambled everything I had.

“As I got a little older, I gambled much more, tens of thousands of pounds. Maybe in hundreds of thousands in general.”

All – Die Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr has sparring – Said that winning the bets was the route of his addiction, not the money.

He explained: “I have no interest in the money at all.

“The kind of gambler I am, it’s not about the money for me. When the money is used up, that’s the only problem.

“I never wanted to withdraw money, I just wanted to keep winning. To be honest, at that time it was like an escapism from real life.”

All revealed that his routine consisted of going to bed at 6 o’clock in the morning and waking up at 2 p.m. to catch the first race of the day.

Fortunately, all overcome his addiction with the help of his sister and wife, with whom he shares a son and daughter.

As I got a little older, I gambled much more, tens of thousands of pounds. Maybe in hundreds of thousands in general.

Dave Allen

He said: “Since I was 26, I have not had my own money under control.

“So at the age of 26 I said to my sister:” You will have to take care of my money to be honest. “

“My sister has introduced me a bank account and for the last seven and a half years when I want money, I have to text my sister and now my missus, I get a card and they send me money.

“Because, if I could still gamble now, I think I would do that. I spent crazy money on Mad S ***, I spent ridiculous money and when I boxed Luis in boxing, I really did it for the money.

“I think I owed a few pounds at the time of the Dillian Whyte fight, I think I lost about eight Grand on the day of the fight, I didn’t get much more than that real.”

Allen has also become a trainer and manager for young hunters to keep themselves on course.

He said: “I need it just as much as she, early seven or eight years ago to train the children and that is really my sustainability.

“He’s being disabled”

“It really kept me on the law and narrow.”

Allen initially withdrew from boxing in 2020 at the age of 28 after a brutal knockout loss until 2008 Olympic bronze medal winner David Price.

But he returned a year later and has been fighting eight times since then, a hugely popular figure among British fans.

All, 33, comes from one Controversial loss of split decisions for Johnny Fisher26, in Saudi Arabia last December.

But the pair of rematch now on Saturday At Fisher’s adopted home base of the Copper Box Arena.

And all – who dropped Fisher in round five – warned: “If he fights me on May 17, he will be eliminated because I will be sharper, a bit fitter.

“If he struck me, it will work hard, of course. But I don’t think he keeps it together at the copper box and box.

“He will argue at some point. I am not the biggest puncher, but I hit him too hard and I am too strong for him. He is tough.”

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