SPARRING the world’s hardest-hitters can often be a thankless task.
At most, you might get your petrol paid for.
But on rare occasions, you could pocket a couple of grand and stay on a luxury complex, just ask Dave Allen.
Allen has a record of 23 wins, with six losses and two draws in his 31 fights, once challenging for the Commonwealth heavyweight title.
But he also made a name for himself by sparring just about every top name both domestically and abroad.
On his fascinating YouTube channel, Allen drew back the curtain on life as a sparring partner and how much he earned from certain fighters…
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Wladimir Klitschko, £1,200 per week
Allen sparred the Ukrainian legend in Austria in 2014 – while working as a supply teacher – and made his most as a training partner.
He said: “First of all, in terms of where we were put up it was like a mansion in the Alps, it was a beautiful, beautiful, place.
“Probably the nicest place I’ve stayed, if not a little boring really. I was only there five days but there was no where to go or nothing to do.
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“The food we had on site on the hotel was just an unbelievable place, the food was incredible and on top of that they paid me almost €1,500 a week.
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“I was only there for five days but they paid me in full as well, they could’ve probably paid me less but they paid me the full 1,500.”
Oleksandr Usyk, £840 per week
Allen revealed he went around 25 rounds with Usyk – once almost getting knocked out – but claims he was fuelled on just junk food.
He said: “That money’s good, €1,000 a week I was over the moon with.
“But where we stayed it was the worst environment, I think it was the Ukraine Olympic training base.
“I personally, it wasn’t nice. The food was poor, I was surviving on bread really.
“I found this canteen on the second week, I was surviving on bread and chocolate bars and crisps.”
Tyson Fury, £200/£300 per week
The two first started sparring each other for free under the coaching of Fury’s uncle Peter.
But when the Gypsy King made his 2018 comeback, he threw Allen a couple of hundred quid, which helped pay for fuel.
Allen said: “We were mates and it was kind of like, ‘Look, come over do the first few rounds. You get something out of it yourself.’
“He’d go on and spar other sparring partner and you could see he was putting a lot more into the shots and the intensity would change.
“And I wasn’t expecting to get paid for it, to be honest. I was happy to go over, help out, it was getting me out the house and I would get some rounds.
“But he’d always pay me. Maybe between £100-£150 a time, could be two-three times a week so after petrol and that I might make £300 a week.”
Anthony Joshua, £0
As the two started sparring as amateurs, there was no money paid.
But was Joshua was on his ascent to superstardom, Allen claims he never saw a penny for the sparring sessions, leading to confusion and some anger.
He revealed: “As time went on, I started getting paid for sparring other boxers and I’m starting to question, ‘Why has he never paid me?’
“To be honest in my head in my head I’m thinking, ‘He’s took the p**s out of me here.’ I was sparring two or three times a week and times, six, eight up to ten rounds at a time with him.
“I had a broken nose at on point for about a year. Rob McCracken, is that him? I’m not sure.
“Over time now I realise I should’ve looked after myself, I should’ve been smarter. I should’ve had someone because a lot of time I’d show up on my own.
“I should’ve been smarter, it’s no one’s fault but my own. But yeah, I did think I deserved to get paid. It was professional boxing.”
Honorable mentions
Allen also revealed he was paid £675 a week for sparring Pole Artur Szpilka for two weeks, staying in a plush Warsaw hotel with travel taken care of.
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Robert Helenius paid £420 weekly. Dillian Whyte also parted with an undisclosed amount but treated camp members to meals as well.
Welsh Former cruiserweight world champion Enzo Maccarinelli had a rate of £20 per round of sparring.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
