LONDON - Dave Allen has described Saturday night’s rematch with Johnny Fisher as the first fight in his life he has ‘ever looked forward to’ - so he now wants to set up a trilogy by claiming victory at the Copper Box.

The 33-year-old White Rhino dropped a split decision to Fisher in their initial encounter at the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh on December 21 in what was one of the most controversial results of the whole year.

Allen seemed to have controlled large parts of the fight and even dropped his opponent in the fifth round of the 10 but judges John Latham and Oliver Brien both scored Fisher a 95-94 winner.

Although there were many complaints about the decision, none of them came from Allen, who even advised Fisher against taking the immediate rematch given what had happened in their first fight.

But the Romford Bull, to his credit, responded to the outcry about the result by taking the return straight away with the pair now set to clash back on English soil this weekend in front of an 8,000 sell-out crowd at the Copper Box, east London.

Over the course of his rollercoaster career, Allen would be the first to admit he has often failed to apply himself correctly and has missed opportunities as a result. This time, he insists, is different after a full training camp under Jamie Moore which has resulted in a long-awaited Eureka moment.

“This is probably the first fight I’ve ever looked forward to in my life really,” he said at Wednesday’s final press conference.

“When I was a kid I didn’t really want to box but wanted to box more than I wanted to work to be honest.

“I had completely fallen out of love with boxing by the time the first fight with Johnny came around but something clicked in the ring that night. I thought ‘this boxing is alright’ and I realised I’m not too bad at it. It has taken me 17 years to feel that.

“I really enjoyed it and I’ve never looked forward to a fight like this. It can’t come soon enough and I can’t wait to get in there and box.”

Allen has spent much of the build-up insisting that Fisher is simply not an elite heavyweight. During an interview with The Ring at the launch presser, he even revealed it took him just 20 seconds to figure out that the 26-year-old is simply ‘not very good’.

But, when asked if he sees a way Fisher can beat him on Saturday, he replied: “I’ve lost seven times in my career so I’d be a fool to sit here and say I can’t get beat but I’ve lost to Olympic gold medalists, Olympic bronze medalists, two world title challengers, not lost to mugs.

“Johnny is a good fighter but I think I’m getting better as mad as that might seem. I’m enjoying my life. I never thought my life would be this good and I'd enjoy boxing so much. I think I will win on saturday but I'm not a fool - I’ve lost seven times.

“If Johnny Fisher is very good I’ll get beat and if he’s not then I'll win the fight and the first fight showed we are on about the same level, it was very competitive.

“I think I probably win on points actually. I’ll do what I always do and throw three punches in round one, six in round two, seven in round three, four in round four then we will go to work. I’m pretty confident I can do the job.

“I want the third fight. I want the trilogy so I have to win this one to set that up.”

Fisher has emerged as one of the best ticket sellers in British boxing during his rise to 13-0 (11 KOs) and the vast majority of the crowd on Saturday night will be there supporting him. He has suggested that the crowd can help carry him to victory but Allen disagrees.

“I've got about 73 people coming from Doncaster,” he said.

“I boxed Dillian Whyte in Leeds and was absolutely s****ing myself when he got in the ring. I boxed Tony Yoka in France so I’ve been and seen it all.

“The crowd will be amazing, I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, but when the bell goes it’s just me and him and there’s not a fella I’d rather be doing this with.”

While Allen was in a typically philosophical mood, Fisher was all business at the top table.

“I’m looking forward to putting on a show for everyone at the Copper Box and one thing is for sure, when I get that crowd behind me, I am what I am; I go in there and there’s going to be a tear-up. I’m going to go toe-to-toe and I don’t have much choice in that because that’s the way I’m wired.

“When I look back on my career in 20 or 30 years' time I want to know I gave 110 per cent every single time. That’s what you get from me and that’s why people come to support me.”