'The White Rhino' takes on the 'Lion' at Sheffield's Utilita Arena this Saturday, following on from his duology with Johnny Fisher.

It marks the latest step in an impressive career turnaround for Allen, who was poised to retire for a second time as recently as last year.

Now former middleweight champion Barker has weighed in on what he sees as a fascinating opportunity for both men to thrive.

"I think the main event is intriguing," he said. "It's a really big fight for both men to push on and challenge for some big names.

"Big Dave's as good as I've ever seen him looking. He's in tremendous shape. There's a maturity oozing from him, a confidence.

"That comes from the recent victories he's had, Makhmudov, he's a scary man and a tall bloke. He can whack, and he's a decent boxer.

"But can he hang in there? Can he fight for a long period of time? I'm not sure. It's an intriguing one if it goes past four or five rounds."

Makhmudov has built a reputation for short fights, and has only gone the distance once in his career, against Carlos Takam in 2022.

Despite victory there, Barker believes Allen represents a step-up too, and that the Montreal-based fighter may struggle with the speed.

"I'm yet to believe he has the tank, if I'm honest," he added. "At a decent level, this is where it's going to be set at a higher pace.

"Dave's going to put the pressure on the front foot. I think he could wrapped it up before the final bell. It could be a late stoppage."

Watch Parker vs Wardley live on DAZN

Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley fight on Saturday, October 25, to become the WBO mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk. Watch the fight and undercard live and exclusive on DAZN PPV.

Click here for pricing and to buy now.