Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty was supposed to be one of the biggest heavyweight fights of the weekend. Instead, it lasted just 82 seconds and ended with almost everyone inside Croke Park wondering what they had just watched.
Carty fell through the ropes during the opening round after being caught by a right hand from Allen that landed around the back of the head. The Irish heavyweight crashed onto the ringside area and required medical attention before the fight was abandoned and officially ruled a no contest.
The result has only become more complicated since. Allen believes the ending should be changed to a stoppage victory in his favour and has spoken about appealing the decision, while Carty’s team argues that the punch was illegal and that Allen should instead have been disqualified.
Thankfully, the most important update is positive. Carty was taken to hospital for precautionary checks and a brain scan after the fall but has since returned home to recover.
Here is exactly what happened in Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty, why the fight was declared a no contest and where both heavyweights go from here.
The fight formed part of Katie Taylor’s historic farewell card at Croke Park. Our Katie Taylor record guide looks back at the career that ended later that evening.
What Happened in Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty?
Dave Allen and Thomas Carty met in the chief-support bout at Croke Park on Saturday 5 September, but the fight barely had time to settle before the unusual ending.
Both men had begun exchanging at close range when Carty moved towards the ropes. Allen threw a right hand during the exchange which connected behind Carty’s head as the Irishman turned.
Carty then lost his balance and went through the ropes, falling head-first towards the ringside area below.
Medical staff immediately came to his aid and oxygen was administered while officials assessed whether he could continue. Although Carty was eventually able to get back to his feet and walk away from ringside, the doctor advised that the fight should not resume.
Referee Emile Tiedt subsequently declared the contest a no contest. That meant neither Allen nor Carty was awarded a victory.
Why Was Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty a No Contest?
The fight was ruled a no contest because officials judged that the incident which caused Carty to fall from the ring was accidental rather than an intentional foul. That distinction is important.
If a boxer deliberately commits a serious foul that leaves his opponent unable to continue, the referee can disqualify the offending fighter. An accidental foul can produce a different outcome, particularly when it happens very early in the contest before enough rounds have been completed to use the judges’ scorecards.
Allen acknowledged afterwards that the punch landed behind the head, but said he had been aiming around the side of Carty’s head and that Carty turned during the exchange.
Carty’s team sees the incident very differently and believes more than one illegal blow was involved.
That disagreement is now at the centre of the debate over whether the official result should remain unchanged.
For a wider look at the different ways professional fights can finish, our guide to KO vs TKO in boxing covers knockouts, stoppages and other methods of victory.
Was Dave Allen’s Punch Illegal?
Punches to the back of the head are illegal in boxing.
The difficult part in this case is deciding whether Allen intentionally committed a foul or whether Carty’s movement caused an otherwise legal punch to land in an illegal area.
Allen says it was accidental. He has explained that he was attempting to clip Carty around the ear during the close-range exchange, but Carty turned and the punch wrapped around onto the back of his head.
Carty’s manager Mike Ofo has disputed that version of events and described the incident as a clear foul. His team also believes Allen landed two illegal shots in quick succession before Carty went through the ropes.
The referee’s decision on the night was to treat the incident as accidental, which is why Allen was not disqualified.
Unless that ruling is changed on appeal, the official result remains a no contest.
What Does a No Contest Mean in Boxing?
A no contest, often shortened to NC, means a fight ends without either boxer being declared the winner. It is not the same as a draw.
A draw means the fight reaches an official result but the judges cannot separate the two fighters. A no contest effectively means the bout cannot produce a valid winner because something has happened that prevents it from continuing normally. Accidental fouls are one common reason.
For example, an accidental clash of heads can cause a cut so severe that a boxer cannot continue. If that happens early enough in the fight, the contest may be ruled a no contest rather than going to the scorecards.
Unusual outside circumstances can also lead to the same result.
In Carty’s case, officials determined that the accidental foul and subsequent fall from the ring meant the fight could not continue after only 82 seconds.
His professional win-loss record therefore does not receive another defeat, while Allen does not gain another victory.
Is Thomas Carty Okay After Falling Out of the Ring?
The latest update from Carty’s team is encouraging. He received treatment immediately after landing outside the ring and was given oxygen before eventually making his way backstage.
Carty was later taken to hospital, where he underwent a brain scan after concerns over a possible concussion.
His team subsequently confirmed that he had been discharged and was back home recovering.
There has been no report of a serious long-term injury, which is the most important outcome given how alarming the fall looked in real time.
The incident was particularly frightening because Carty did not simply fall onto the canvas. He went completely through the ropes and landed around the ringside equipment below.
That explains why doctors were understandably cautious before allowing him to leave hospital.
What Did Dave Allen Say After the Fight?
Allen was just as confused as most of the crowd immediately after the stoppage.
He initially questioned why Carty was not being counted and later argued that, had the same exchange happened in the centre of the ring, he believed the fight would have ended as a stoppage victory.
Allen has admitted that the final punch landed behind Carty’s head but strongly denies deliberately throwing a rabbit punch.
He has also said he intends to speak to the relevant boxing authorities about having the no-contest result changed to a win.
His argument is essentially that the punch was accidental, Carty was already struggling in the exchange and the fall prevented the referee from giving him the normal opportunity to score a stoppage. Whether officials agree is another matter.
What Has Thomas Carty’s Team Said?
Carty’s camp believes the result should change as well, but in the opposite direction.
Manager Mike Ofo has argued that Allen should have been disqualified because Carty was unable to continue after being struck illegally.
His team claims two punches landed to the back of the head and has also raised questions about the ropes after Carty fell through them.
They therefore do not believe Allen should receive the victory he is seeking.
Carty’s camp has indicated that it wants the ruling reviewed and has also shown an interest in eventually settling the issue through a rematch.
So we now have a slightly unusual situation where neither side appears particularly satisfied with a result that officially gives neither man a win or loss.
Can the Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty Result Be Overturned?
Potentially, although there is no guarantee that anything changes.
Boxing results can be reviewed after an event when a fighter or team makes an official appeal. The relevant authorities can look again at footage, the referee’s decision and the circumstances surrounding the stoppage before deciding whether the original ruling should stand.
Allen wants the no contest changed to a victory. Carty’s camp believes Allen should have been disqualified.
Those are obviously very different interpretations of the same sequence. At the time of writing, however, the official result remains a no contest.
Until a governing body announces otherwise, that is how the fight should be recorded.
Will Dave Allen Fight Thomas Carty Again?
A rematch has not been confirmed. Carty’s team has indicated that it would be willing to run the fight back once he has recovered, arguing that the first meeting never had a chance to develop properly. Allen appears less enthusiastic about the idea.
He has suggested that he would rather move on from the situation than immediately arrange a second fight, particularly because he felt comfortable during the short period they actually spent in the ring. That leaves the future uncertain.
From a promotional point of view, the bizarre ending has probably created more interest in a rematch than existed before the first fight. Neither boxer actually proved anything over 82 seconds and both camps now strongly disagree about what the official result should have been.
Whether that is enough to convince Allen to go again remains to be seen.
What Does the No Contest Mean for Dave Allen?
The strange ending leaves Allen almost exactly where he was before Croke Park.
He does not receive another victory, but he also avoids the defeat that he had previously suggested could bring his career to an end.
At 34, Allen is still one of the most recognisable British heavyweights outside the world-title picture. His popularity and recent performances mean there should be opportunities available even if the Carty rematch never happens.
Where he fits among the division’s leading names is a different question.
BetVictor’s heavyweight boxing rankings 2026 tracks the champions and leading contenders at the top of the weight class.
Allen is unlikely to jump straight into that group, but another meaningful domestic heavyweight fight would make sense.
What Happens Next for Thomas Carty?
The immediate priority is recovery. Carty suffered a frightening fall and underwent medical checks afterwards, so there is no reason to rush into discussing another fight until he is fully cleared.
Once that happens, the result itself may need resolving.
If the no contest stands, Carty remains without an additional defeat on his record and can either pursue the Allen rematch or return against somebody else.
His camp clearly feels there is unfinished business.
Carty had viewed Allen as the biggest test of his professional career, and 82 seconds was nowhere near enough to answer whether he was ready to move towards the higher levels of the heavyweight division.
What Happens to Boxing Bets When a Fight Is a No Contest?
A no contest can create an unusual situation for boxing betting because there is no official winner.
How individual wagers are settled depends on the exact market and the bookmaker’s rules, so bettors should always check the settlement terms attached to their selection rather than assuming every market is treated in the same way.
That is particularly relevant with fights like Allen vs Carty, where the result could potentially be reviewed after the event.
Winner, method-of-victory and round markets can all have different settlement conditions depending on how a bout ends.
For upcoming fights and current markets, BetVictor’s boxing odds cover the biggest cards across the schedule.
So, What Actually Happened in Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty?
The simplest answer is that an accidental foul led to one of the strangest endings we have seen in a British or Irish boxing ring this year.
Allen caught Carty behind the head during a close-range exchange, Carty went through the ropes and landed heavily outside the ring. He was unable to continue, so the referee ruled the bout a no contest after just one minute and 22 seconds.
That remains the official outcome. What happens next is less clear.
Allen wants the decision changed to a victory. Carty’s team believes the exact opposite and argues that Allen should have been disqualified. Carty has also undergone hospital checks following the fall, although the latest update is that he is home and recovering.
It means Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty may have lasted only 82 seconds, but the argument surrounding it could continue for considerably longer.
For the major fights coming up next, see BetVictor’s boxing schedule 2026 or follow the latest stories through the BetVictor boxing news hub.
