Thomas Carty’s camp is demanding that David Allen be disqualified after what they describe as a flagrant foul that ended their bout in a most unusual fashion. According to Carty’s manager, Mike Ofo, Allen’s illegal strike should have resulted in a loss for the Irish fighter, rather than the "no contest" ruling that was ultimately applied. The incident unfolded on Saturday night at Croke Park, the iconic stadium that was hosting Katie Taylor’s farewell fight. Carty, who was on the undercard, was making his way through the opening round when Allen landed a blow to the back of his head.
The impact was so severe that Carty was propelled over the ropes, crashing onto the arena floor and being unable to continue. The referee halted the contest, and the officials declared the encounter a "no contest" because Carty could not resume fighting.
Mike Ofo, speaking to Sky Sports, expressed his disappointment and frustration. He said, "I am very disappointed about what happened on Saturday night at Croke Park and the untimely halt to what should have been the crowning achievement of Thomas' career so far. Thomas was pumped to be fighting on such an historic event in front of such an enormous crowd at the home of Irish sport and was gutted by the bizarre turn of events." Ofo went on to describe the sequence of fouls, insisting that Allen struck Carty twice in quick succession after a hard jab from Carty had already marked Allen’s face.
"The second, illegal rabbit punch to the back of Thomas' head knocked him clean through the ropes and there is only one outcome under the rules of boxing in those circumstances – a DQ loss for Allen," Ofo asserted. Allen attempted to explain his side of the story on his YouTube channel. He claimed that he had moved in close, landed a left hook to the body, and then a headshot that he believed was a legitimate strike. He said, "I think, then he threw a combination, knocked my head back with an uppercut.
But then he grabbed me frantically. I'm not aiming for the back of anyone's head ever, but I am aiming about here [the ear]. It wasn't a big shot; I tried to clip him round the ear as I always do, and he's turned his head into it. It's gone round the back of the head." Allen added that he was unsure what happened next and that he had asked the referee whether a count would be taken, suggesting that if the fight had remained inside the ring he might have won by stoppage.
Ofo dismissed Allen’s version of events, stating that the Irish boxer would have likely secured a stoppage victory had the illegal blow not interrupted the contest. He highlighted Carty’s recent history, noting that the 30‑year‑old had suffered a freak knee injury the previous year, which resulted in his only professional loss to date.
Since then, Carty has been on a winning streak and was aiming for his 12th professional victory when the controversy occurred. The manager also criticized Allen’s attempts to shape the narrative around the incident, calling it "gaslighting." He pointed out Allen’s poor condition during the fight, suggesting that Carty would have taken control in later rounds.
"Frankly, he should change his nickname from 'The White Rhino' to 'The White Hippo,'" Ofo quipped, implying that Allen’s performance was far from the ferocious image his moniker conveys. Looking forward, Ofo said that if the Boxing Union of Ireland (BUI) reviews the referee’s decision and overturns the no‑contest ruling, his team would be open to a rematch. "Once the BUI have reconsidered the referee's decision and done the right thing, we will happily give Allen a rematch and they can settle it once and for all – hopefully inside the ring this time!" he concluded. Allen, for his part, declined to comment further on Ofo’s accusations, leaving the dispute to be settled by the governing bodies and, potentially, a future encounter between the two fighters.
The controversy has sparked debate among fans and officials about the enforcement of illegal blows, the appropriate penalties for such infractions, and the procedures for handling fights that end abruptly due to fouls. As the boxing community awaits the BUI’s final ruling, both camps remain poised for what could become a highly anticipated rematch, should the authorities decide to grant it.