Dave Allen and Thomas Carty Both Seek No-Contest Ruling Change After Croke Park Ring Fall

Dave Allen and Thomas Carty’s team are both pushing for Saturday’s bizarre heavyweight no-contest at Croke Park to be overturned, but in opposite directions.

Allen intends to ask the Boxing Union of Ireland to change the result to a win, while Carty’s camp believe the Irishman should instead receive a disqualification victory after he fell through the ropes and out of the ring.

The bout, staged as chief support to Katie Taylor’s farewell fight in Dublin, ended inside the opening 90 seconds after Allen landed a right hand that caught Carty on the back of the head. Carty fell through the ropes, struck the ringside area and was attended to by medics before referee Emile Tiedt ruled the contest a no-contest after he was unable to continue.

Carty camp calls for Allen disqualification

Carty’s team said the southpaw spent time in hospital with a suspected concussion and underwent a brain scan before returning home. They argue that two illegal punches to the back of the head, combined with loose ropes, caused the fight-ending fall.

“After just one minute and 30 seconds of Round 1 Thomas Carty had received 2 illegal blows to the back of his head,” his team said. “The second blow causing Thomas a momentarily lapse forcing Thomas to reach for the ropes to regain his balance and the loose ropes gave way propelling Thomas head first out of the ring.”

They added that the fall caused a suspected concussion and said Carty was now “at home recovering and more importantly healthy.”

Carty’s manager, Mike Ofo, told Sky Sports that the Irishman had been denied what he believed should have been a major moment in his career and argued that the finish warranted a disqualification.

“What happened was plain for all to see with Allen blatantly fouling him twice in quick succession,” Ofo said. “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.”

The fight represented Carty’s first significant step back up after rupturing his ACL in a second-round defeat to Dajuan Calloway in March 2025. The injury required surgery and kept him out for almost a year before he returned with a six-round points win over German Skobenko in March.

Ofo also disputed Allen’s interpretation of the fight but said Carty’s team would be willing to revisit the matchup if the ruling is changed.

“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 said.

Allen declined to comment on Ofo’s remarks.

Allen wants result changed to a win

Allen, meanwhile, said on his YouTube channel that he intends to ask the BUI about having the result altered in his favour.

“It is a no-contest. I probably will speak to the boxing board and ask if it can be overturned to a win,” Allen said. “People might say what for, but I felt I was going to win the fight. In there, I just felt a bit too strong and rough for him, and I thought this is only going to go one way.”

Allen argued that the punch which caused Carty’s fall was accidental and landed behind the head because of the Irishman’s movement.

“I’m not aiming for the back of anyone’s head ever, but I am aiming about here [the ear],” he said. “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 said he initially expected the referee to begin a count rather than end the contest.

“I’ve caught him behind the head, not on purpose; he’s turned into, and he’s gone through the ropes,” he said. “At the time, I said to the referee, ‘Are you not going to count?’ If that was in the middle of the ring, I’d have won by stoppage.”

The result leaves both camps asking the BUI to revisit the ruling, but seeking opposite outcomes: Allen wants the no-contest changed to a victory, while Carty’s team believe Allen should be disqualified. A rematch remains a possibility, but both sides first want Saturday’s decision reconsidered.