From the moment it was announced, Irish fighters and their connections fought hand over fist to secure a spot on the undercard and as fight week progresses and the big night draws closer, every boxer on the card will express their excitement at being a part of what promises to be an historic occasion.

All except one.

“I headlined my own football stadium with 10,000 Doncaster fans there. Everything after that is ...,” Dave Allen told The Ring

“The last two fights, I didn't have a single feeling in me. I still enjoy the boxing and I still want to win, but in terms of excitement any emotion has gone really from me. I don't have any emotion at all.”

On Saturday, Allen (27-9-2, 20 KOs) will fight Thomas Carty (11-1, 9 KOs) over 10 heavyweight rounds on DAZN.

It is the latest stop in a totally unique career that has been characterized by honesty, popularity and self-sabotage.

With every setback, more and more fans threw their weight behind Allen’s unlikely quest for glory. The 34-year-old from Doncaster is a proud man but, at times, it has seemed like his ever-growing band of supporters has had higher goals and expectations for him than he has had for himself.

In May, his near 14-year long professional career came to a remarkable peak when thousands of those supporters filed into Doncaster’s Eco-Power Stadium to watch him fight now-IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic. Things didn’t go well and the Croatian ruthlessly exposed Allen over the course of three rounds.

Since the loss, Allen has boxed twice on small hall shows. There have been very few interviews and nobody has tried to push him ahead of himself. Allen has simply got on with the job of being a professional fighter.

In reality, that is all he has ever wanted to be.

“I'm enjoying it. It's like a hobby, but it's also my job,” he said.

“I was a bit annoyed after Hrgovic so I went away and had a couple of fights, but I've been consistent with training now since the first Johnny Fisher fight.

“People say, 'Oh, you're not fit.'

“Well, I'm definitely fit. I'm heavy, but I'd say that's 90% purposeful and 10% probably eating too much at times.

“I'm bang up for it. People think I'm not up for the Carty fight. I am. I always am. I'm always up for fighting, but I'm trying to enjoy it.”

Should he lose to Carty, Allen may well decide to retire and concentrate on managing his growing stable of fighters. He may decide to carry on fighting on small shows until the urge to box leaves him.

Should he beat the 30-year-old Dubliner, boxing’s traveling jamboree of view-hungry camera carriers will form a line outside his dressing room and the questions about finally fighting for the British title will start all over again.

Allen doesn’t have a single expectation. He seems determined to enjoy whatever time he has left as a professional fighter.

“I've been on the TV now for over 10 years, boxing. I don't really care anymore. That's a beautiful place to be,” he said.

“I've lost nine times. No one really expects too much of me. I've been a good fighter, but not a great fighter, but not a bad fighter either.

“So, I've got nothing to lose. With this fight, I’ve not much to gain either, but I'm living the dream still. I’m still doing it.”