Sporting Dave Allen robbed on the world's biggest stage

Fury thought he'd won, but didn't.

Further down the pecking order on the same show, there was another heavyweight contest that the South Yorkshire boxing public should also remember.

That was even more of a robbery.

It was the night 'Doncaster De La Hoya' Dave Allen lit the blue touch paper to reignite his 23-6-2 career, by taking on heavy favourite Johnny Fisher.

Allen put up a seemingly winning display, decking the bigger man with a crunching right hand to the chin in the fifth round.

But when the referees' work was announced, it was a split decision win for Fisher (Oliver Brien 94-95, Leszek Jankowiak 96-93, and John Latham 94-95.)

To many at the venue and around the world, it didn't seem that justice had prevailed.

However, the overriding concern was for the victor, who was rushed to hospital for a scan on his brain.

It all added up to the latest twist in the unpredictable and sometimes terrifying world of boxing.

The silver lining for Allen was that his stock rose considerably, he could get a re-match and is hungry to try his luck in America.

Before the fight, the 32-year-old from Conisbrough, had been honest enough to admit he was nervous and that he was well aware that he was the underdog against a man who had 11 knockouts in 12 straight wins.

But he also felt he was in a career-best shape and knew he had more experience and ringcraft than the Romford man seven years his junior.

After a difficult first few early rounds, he started to dominate, mirrored by Jankowiak's 96-93 assessment.

British boxing sat back expecting the others to agree, but mysteriously that confirmation never came and the WBA Intercontinental title went to the southerner.

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Sheffield former world champion Clinton Woods was amongst the first to criticise the verdict.

"Worse decision for a long time, Dave Allen was robbed," he said.

Rotherham trainer Jamie Kennedy agreed: "I may have watched that slightly biased as a Yorkshireman but it had to be Dave Allen’s."

As did Sheffield's Jon Buster Keeton: "Dave Allen robbed blind."

And Manor Boxing Academy's Sam Lightfoot went further: "Dirty, dirty sport. David Allen is the real champ."

The Doncaster man was pragmatic after the loss, which came after a 12 weeks' camp in which he lost two stones.

He admitted he'd been rocked early on by Fisher's jab so had made adjustments to his stance and range.

Despite that, he lost the first four rounds.

Allen sensed Fisher was struggling with the pace though and waited for the right time to: "Clip him on the chin and put him over.

"I knew he wasn't badly hurt but I thought he was knackered."

He didn't have enough to finish the pulsating scrap though, adding: "When the final bell went I thought I had won the fight. I was very emotional, a lot of people had written me off."

The crowd was unhappy with the decision, he said, "but it is what it is. I am happy for Johnny, he is a lovely fella."

*Betting firm Paddy Power is paying out on Allen as a winner - as their protest against the judges' scorecards.