Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs) turned professional after winning Olympic bronze in 2016 and was immediately installed as one of heavyweight division’s brightest hopes.

Allen (25-8-2, 20 KOs) started his career on the undercard of a low key six-fight card in Sheffield in 2012. The week before the 2016 Games opened in Brazil, he lost his undefeated record against Dillian Whyte.

A decade has passed and the heavyweights will meet at Doncaster’s Eco-Power Stadium on May 16. DAZN will broadcast the 10-round fight.

Renowned as an inconsistent trainer, Allen, 34, readily admits that he has struggled with motivation and outside the ring issues, rarely giving himself the best opportunity to make the most of his ability.

Hrgovic is one of the most gifted heavyweights on the planet but the Croatian hasn’t yet hit the heights many expected him to.

Allen thinks he knows why.

“No, I said to him, “You’ve underachieved. You’re lazy and bone idle,”” Allen told The Ring immediately after filming a Face-Off with Hrgovic.

“I said that on YouTube and some fella pulled it out and said it to him. I thought, 'I’m going to have to say it now.'

“He is lazy and bone idle. He should have been a lot better. He said he can beat me at 70 percent. I said, “Alright, sound. Turn up at 70 percent then.”

“I’m hoping he turns up and he's not at the races. Anything that gives me a better chance, I want.

Allen is a keen student of the sport and whilst obviously recognizing Hrgovic’s qualities, has also seen him struggle past Zhilei Zhang, labour against Demsey McKean and then come apart and lose in eight rounds to Daniel Dubois.

The disappointing loss to Dubois does seem to have triggered something inside of 33-year-old Hrgovic. He joined up with Abel Sanchez in California and their partnership got underway with a solid win over Joe Joyce last April.

In August, he survived a rocky eighth round to outpoint David Adeleye over 10 rounds. Still, Allen has seen enough to boost his hope of springing a major surprise.

In the past, the threat of facing the world’s top heavyweights hasn’t been enough to motivate Allen into pouring his heart and soul into a full training camp but the idea of being humbled in front of thousands of familiar faces has done the trick.

“He cuts as well, he cuts badly,” Allen said.

“I’m up for it, wouldn't bring a fight to Doncaster I didn't think I had a chance of winning, I'm not getting embarrassed in Donny in-front of 10-15,000 of my own people. I’m gonna see them all in the street, I'm not going to get embarrassed. He might be too good for me but I don't think there are many levels between us.”