Gallen rips legend's shock Hodges prediction

1 year ago 70

Paul Gallen says he's astatine a nonaccomplishment trying to comprehend the newfound assurance successful Justin Hodges' boxing quality ahead of their rematch.

In an interrogation with Fox Sports, boxing fable Jeff Fenech said he's tipping Hodges to propulsion disconnected an upset due to the fact that the erstwhile NSW Origin captain's chin isn't what it utilized to be, adding that hard sparring successful the past is starting to drawback up with him.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Gallen said he's got nary occupation with Fenech having an opinion, but countered that his archetypal combat with Hodges was heavy skewed successful the Queensland great's favour, yet helium inactive couldn't get the occupation done.

Gallen fought Hodges for 4 rounds aft taking connected erstwhile NRL prop Ben Hannant for the aforesaid magnitude of time, beating both.

A caller Hodges scored a knockdown but Gallen said it was wide Hodges and Hannant were successful cahoots.

"I don't recognize wherever each this assurance for Justin Hodges comes from," Gallen said successful an interrogation with Wide World of Sports. "He fought maine the 2nd combat connected the night.

"To maine it was wide that Ben Hannant's coach's had thing successful communal with Hodges due to the fact that during the Ben Hannant fight, helium didn't effort to triumph that fight.

"All helium did was effort and tyre maine retired and I could perceive him passim the full combat 'Grab him, locomotion him backmost to the ropes', each they wanted maine to bash was for maine to transportation his 110kg framework astir for the full combat truthful they could tyre maine retired for Hodges and that's precisely what happened.

"Then Hodgo jumps in, punches maine connected a interruption telephone and it rocked me, I'll admit it. It rocked me.

"How tin anyone amusement assurance successful him? Then aft 2 rounds his trainer pulls portion disconnected his arm, helium was connected his feet, helium was f---ed. Where does this assurance travel from?"

As for his mentation for this fight, Gallen said his sparring regiment has not been overbearing.

Leading into the past bout against Hodges, the Sharks premiership winning skipper said his mentation wasn't what it should person been.

This bout volition beryllium 2 and a fractional infinitesimal rounds, a determination Gallen says was designed to springiness Hodges the champion imaginable chance.

"The erstwhile combat I didn't spar overmuch astatine all. I didn't bash a lot. I took it for granted to beryllium honorable and didn't hole for it similar I usually prepare," Gallen said.

"I did bid hard don't get maine wrong but arsenic acold arsenic sparring goes I didn't bash overmuch astatine all. For this combat I person sparred much but not arsenic overmuch arsenic I did for erstwhile fights similar the Huni fight.

"I got a feeling they privation to spot maine get beat. They request the adjacent Paul Gallen. That's wherefore I deliberation they're allowing two-and-a-half infinitesimal rounds, what a freakin' joke. They're allowing it, it's a spot annoying.

"But it's concern and I recognize they've got to bash what's champion for them for the adjacent 5 to 10 years, I'm done adjacent week. I'm not aggravated astatine them for that, I've got to usage that arsenic information and not let myself to get beaten to a feline who 12 months agone I would person killed."

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