Jeff Horn has a grim prediction for Gallen’s two-fight clash with Queenslanders Justin Hodges and Benn Hannant.
19.35: RENOLD QUINLAN DEF. JACK BOWEN VIA KO
19.21: LES PORS DE HORN, ORDER OF BATTLE
Australian boxing legend Jeff Horn believes the odds are against Paul Gallen tonight.
The former world champion identified that the gap of hours between bouts is likely to drain Gallen physically and mentally.
“I don’t see how Gallen wins,” Horn said in coverage of the main event. “You’re physically and mentally stuffed after the first fight and then you have another fresh guy jump in.”
“I guess Gallen will want to get Justin Hodges out of the ring before he takes him home against Hannant.”
Ben Hannant revealed that he and Hodges will be preparing to fight first, but will still remain in the dark about the order.
7.15pm: GALLEN, HODGES ARE IN THE BUILDING
HOW THE HISTORICAL BATTLES OF GALLEN WILL DEVELOP
After weeks of discussion, in which Gallen threatened to leave, the format has been confirmed.
Both fights will be four two-minute rounds and Gallen will have at least an hour’s rest in between.
Ben Hannant is expected to be the first opponent before Justin Hodges and Gallen close out the card.
Earlier in the week, Gallen accused his promoter No Limit of throwing him under the bus for not telling his fighter the order.
“Overall, I don’t feel great,” Gallen told news.com.au.
“My preparation is going well, I’m definitely in shape. My physical condition and everything is fine, but I’m not happy.
“It’s a big question – fighting two guys one night and I still don’t know who I’m fighting first and what’s going on, how the fight is going to work. It’s a little painful to be honest.”
Adding to Gallen’s frustration is the extraordinary financial incentive for Hodges and Hannant should they beat their rival.
The Queensland giants agreed terms on a rematch clause that will see the duo pocket $1 million each for a return bout with Gallen, who will have his retirement fight in December.
RUMBLE ORIGIN COMPLETE FIGHT CARD
Paul Gallen v Ben Hannant, Justin Hodges
Joe Goodall vs. Arsene Fosso
Ben Hussain v Lachie Higgins
Junior Tafa vs. David Tuliloa
Ty Telford vs. Vanlalawmpuia
PRELIMS
Miles Zalewski vs. Shiva Mishra
Miles Zalewski, Harry Garside’s first professional opponent, stops Mishra in the third round. Is a rematch on the cards? Jeff Fenech doesn’t think so.
Jalen Tait def. Sachin Mudaliar by TKO/KO
Sachin Mudaliar replaced his brother on two days’ notice – he should have stayed home after going down like a sack of potatoes in the second round.
Ange Harries defeated. Angel Rushton by unanimous decision
Angel Rushton, daughter of Glenn who trained Jeff Horn, loses for the first time in her professional career.
CRASH GAL OPPONENT WANTS AS FINAL FIGHT
Paul Gallen’s retirement fight could be a million dollar showdown against UFC legend Rob Whittaker.
Ahead of his double header against Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant tonight in Brisbane, News Corp can reveal that Gallen’s promoters, No Limit Boxing, have held talks with Whittaker for a crossover success before Christmas in this year.
Gallen has one fight left on his contract with No Limit, and the boxing powerhouse wants the NRL legend to go out in a blaze of glory against Whittaker.
The Auckland-born former UFC world champion would be a dangerous opponent for Gallen, who recently turned 41 and is wary of the blows he dealt to Justis Huni and Kris Terzievski over the past 15 months.
Whittaker beat Martin Vettori a fortnight ago in France and No Limit boss Matt Rose confirmed that he has held several discussions with the 31-year-old, who was once on a development program at Cronulla, the same club of the NRL where Gallen won the top job in 2016. .
Rose said if Gallen knocks out Hannant and Hodges at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena, as expected, it will boost plans for a showdown with Whittaker.
“A fight between Hannant and Hodges goes up against a big fight between Gal and Rob Whittaker,” Rose said.
“I was in France recently to watch Rob’s fight and after his win, I sat down for talks with Rob about the Gal fight.
“We’ve been talking to Rob and his team about this for two years now and we’re now at the stage where we want to seriously move forward with negotiations to make this fight a reality.
“Rob says he’d like to do it, but he has some contractual commitments with the UFC that we have to work out.
“Size-wise, there’s not a lot of difference. Rob is around 95kg and Gal is around 100kg, so it would be a great crossover fight and we’d like to make it happen if Gal is ready for one last big fight.
Gallen would need a huge payday to consider fighting Whittaker given the heavy punishment he absorbed in his gutsy losses to Huni and Terzievski.
The biggest payday of his career was the $1.6 million bonanza he pocketed from his 10-round slugfest against Huni, more than triple the estimated $500,000 he’ll receive for fighting Hannant and Hodges .
Gallen admits he is ready to hang up the gloves after a remarkable 21-year professional sports career.
“I’m looking forward to it all being over,” he said.
“Now I’m at the end and I’m sick of promoting things. I’m sick of being the guy running the show, I’m a bit over that and I’m over sparring.
“There’s no doubt I’ve punched a lot. I’ve trained really hard over the years and I’ve gotten punches.
“Physically, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my NRL and boxing career was my fight against Terzievski.
“I don’t know if this was my age, but it had never happened to me as much as that night.
“In the ninth round, I almost stopped him and then in the 10th round, I tried to get him, he was running away from me and I just couldn’t chase him, he was absolutely gone. I had nothing.
“I’ve never felt so tired at any other time in my career, but maybe that was me showing my age at 41.
“I was totally screwed.”
Wife’s Orders: Hannant fights Gallen over the family pool
—Robert Craddock
Ben Hannant said ‘no’ three times to a fight with Paul Gallen before conceding to someone he had no chance of defeating… his wife.
“I kept saying no, but we’re building a new house and my wife (Emma) kept saying if I fought, we could put in a pool,” Hannant said.
“You know what they say: happy wife, happy life, so here we go.”
This yet-to-be-built pool, let’s call it the Paul Gallen Aquatic Center, is ready for some serious training.
Hannant is a father of eight and while the new house is being built on his Gold Coast acreage, Hannant, Emma and their eight children have settled into a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house at the back of the your property
Hannant is expected to fight the warrior Gallen in the first of Gallen’s two fights at the Nissan Arena before former bronze medalist Justin Hodges takes on the 41-year-old an hour or so later.
The night has become to boxing what the Big Bash is to cricket: an unusual spectacle that some (Hannant) regard as an entertainment event while others (Gallen) treat it seriously.
“I definitely think what I’m doing is about entertainment,” Hannant said at Wednesday’s weigh-in.
“I’d be kidding myself, and that’s the mistake I made when I fought Hodgo, if I thought I could do in four weeks what boxers take 10 to 20 years to learn. You can’t do that.
“I’m a stupid first rower. We can absorb one or two key points, that’s all. Let’s throw hammers. All you need is one or two to connect. . . .”
Hannant, who really should change his nickname from polar bear to grizzly bear if he is to be taken seriously by the boxing world, flashed his ready smile on the eve of the fight, but this is a dangerous night .
The Gallen Prize fighter is no brainchild of Australia’s Tyson Fury, but he is tough, experienced and ruthless.
It will be in his best interest to try to finish off Hannant as soon as possible to save energy for Hodges.
Hannant may consider it entertainment, but there’s nothing entertaining about eating a leather sandwich for dinner when your kids are ringside, so he needs to be ready to take some rough treatment.
When Hodges was knocked out by Darcy Lussick, he said the most punishing part of the entire night in the ring was his son Carter crying on the phone when he returned to the locker room.
The question arises of how boxers can protect their children from falls, but Hannant has no reservations about bringing his clan.
“It’s real life. A lot of time as parents we protect our children and protect them. This is the real world. You will make people go against what you believe.
“The older kids come to the fray. It’s a late night for them, but it’s a win-win. They’re proud of their dad for coming in and having a crack. If I win they’ll be proud and if I lose they’ll take the pee. We’re a family. We’ll stand together and lose together and have fun.
“I have done iron hands and marathons. I believe that if you face challenges and run towards them, you will never be the same again.”
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