Andy Ruiz Jr. and Dave Allen could meet in Sheffield in March or April 2027, with Allen revealing that Matchroom’s Frank Smith has told him the company is targeting that window for the heavyweight fight.

The Fight Wire reports Allen also indicated that he would likely retire afterward. The fight has not been officially announced, and the proposed dates remain a target.

Ruiz (35-3-1, 22 KOs) would enter the bout coming off a defeat against Damian Knyba in September. His last victory came against Luis Ortiz in September 2022, with a draw against Jarrell Miller and another lengthy absence between that win and the Knyba loss.

That represents a dismal drop for a man who battered Anthony Joshua to win the unified heavyweight crown in 2019. Ruiz held all the gold, dominated global sports headlines, and blew the chance to become a generational heavyweight star. He surrendered the titles in the rematch and spent the next seven years fighting just four times.

Allen keeps fighting to stay relevant and earn a living, but nobody expected him to rule the division. He has spent much of his career taking punishment from better heavyweights. Ruiz reached the top, won three world titles, and then wasted the opportunity.

A win over Allen gets Ruiz back in the win column, but beating a domestic trialhorse proves nothing about his ability to mix with elite heavyweights. An upset loss drops him off the boxing map entirely.

Take Allen’s retirement talk with a grain of salt. Sharing the ring with Ruiz hands him a big-name scalp to target along with a solid payday. Even in defeat, a decent showing will keep promoters dialing his number.

Expect Allen to stick around if matchmakers keep waving checks in his face. Giving a former unified champion a real scrap will open doors for future paydays, not push him into retirement.

Right now, the story is Matchroom penciling in that spring date in Sheffield. Calling it a farewell bout looks like wishful thinking, especially since another decent payday will easily tempt him back into the ring.