Usyk vs Bellew: Dave Allen critical of himself despite victory in a bloody brawl

Dave Allen came through a gruelling back-and-forth brawl with a seventh-round stoppage of Ariel Esteban Bracamonte on Saturday in Manchester.

'The White Rhino' absorbed plenty of punishment and was visibly tired but eventually forced his opponent to be pulled out by his corner-men between rounds.

"That was awful. Another wake-up call," Allen said. "How many do I need?

"No-one is going to out-tough me and out-man me. You're not going to beat me in a dogfight.

"I was [tired] after one round. No excuses. I'm not fit enough. I'm not conditioned enough.

"When you're blessed with the power that I have got, what I'm doing is scandalous.

"I need to take a good look at myself."

Allen's defences were tested in the opening round but he ducked and dived, and remained safe, as Bracamonte threw the kitchen sink at him.

Allen hurt his foe towards the end of the opener but lost momentum due to a low blow.

An Allen uppercut was a sign of intent, and he bloodied Bracamonte's nose in the second round, but also took a few big punches.

Allen was under severe pressure in the third round until he uncorked a huge left hook.

He was on the verge of victory with a brutal flurry of punches but Bracamonte survived.

Both men exchanged swinging blows, and both were hurt, at the start of the fourth. It was a sequence that exhausted them both for the next few rounds.

Bracamonte's face was covered in blood after an Allen punch split his nose at the start of the seventh. Allen then landed two overhand rights which had his opponent staggering across the ring. Bracamonte's corner looked at his cut at the end of the round, and withdrew him.

Allen had previously lost high-profile fights to Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, Lenroy Thomas and Tony Yoka but has now won three in a row.