Rob Baron promises to ruin Justin Hodges’ boxing career before it even begins

During the week he carries sofas and fridges around Ipswich but on Friday night, Rob Baron will go toe-to-toe with a Maroons legend – and he’s keen to remove the QLD great from the ring.

Rob Baron is an Ipswich furniture removalist who is fighting Justin Hodges this week. Pics Adam Head

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Rob Baron carries heavy sofas and fridges all day but on Friday night he plans to drop Queensland rugby league great Justin Hodges like a bag of old spuds.

“I’m going to ruin his boxing career before it even starts,’’ says the Ipswich furniture removalist ahead of their heavyweight fight in Sydney on Friday night.

“I plan to knock Hodges out quickly because I’m not getting paid overtime.

“His sporting background means absolutely nothing to me. I’ve seen a lot of Facebook posts and people want me to belt the living hell out of him.

Baron will tangle with Justin Hodges on Friday night. Picture by Adam Head.

“I won’t be going in there thinking he was a great football player. He might have been able to throw a couple of punches on the footy field but he had his team around him to jump in and save him. That’s all changed now. He’s about to step into a different world and there’ll be no one to help him.’’

Baron, 35, says he will have partner Stephanie and his two children Robert, 11, and Emily, 9, cheering from his corner for the big fight and he plans for Emily, a budding kickboxer in her own right, to lead him into the ring.

He says his family and friends will help him overcome his nerves for the biggest sporting event of his life on a huge fight card that will be televised by Main Event.

Hodges will be making his professional debut. AAP image, John Gass.

Baron regards Hodges as just “a stepping stone’’ to a dream fight with Sharks skipper Paul Gallen, who fights the main event tomorrow night against John Hopoate in what shapes up as the most vicious rugby league brawl of all time.

He says he won his only kickboxing fight and two corporate amateur boxing bouts.

“Hodges has got everything to lose and I’ve got everything to gain,’’ Baron told The Courier-Mail.

“It’s a big opportunity for me. I did boxing as a kid and did a lot of brawling in the streets growing up.’’

Baron works as a removalist during the week. Picture by Adam Head.

Baron expects to be a few kilos lighter than the 100kg former Broncos and Roosters flyer.

“I should come in just over 90kg,’’ he said.

“I’ve been eating like crazy to put weight on but I don’t mind if he’s a bit heavier than me because I’m a real goer. I come out swinging.’’

Over the years Baron has trained with former kickboxing star Anthony Vella and Logan’s highly respected boxing coach Chris McCullen.

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