Paul Gallen offers help to Darcy Lussick ahead of Justin Hodges fight

Justin Hodges is training with Anthony Mundine ahead of his battle with giant NRL rival Darcy Lussick. But Origin rival Paul Gallen has offered help to Hodges’ intimidating rival for the December 6 showdown.

Paul Gallen has offered to help hulking rugby league prop Darcy Lussick put Justin Hodges on the canvas next month but the Queensland Origin star says he has even more firepower in his corner.

Hodges is training with his mate and mentor Anthony Mundine as well as world-class Queensland fighters Trent Broadhurst and brothers Aaron and Daniel Russell ahead of what will be the Queensland league great’s third pro fight.

He says he is learning skills every day to turn back the charge of the 194cm, 110kg Lussick who threw plenty of punches as a front-row hardhead for the Sea Eagles and Eels but will be having his first boxing bout.

NRL great Justin Hodges (left) and Darcy Lussick who will fight in Sydney on December 6. Picture: Annette Dew

Monday, at the Broncos Leagues Club, Hodges came face-to-face with the rugby league man mountain who is taking a break from the Toronto Wolfpack so he can concentrate on breaking Hodges in two when they fight in Sydney on December 6.

Hodges looked up at the 30-year-old strongman with a degree of caution yesterday and declared: “Darcy is a big, tough guy, strong and powerful; he’s been playing league at the elite level for a long time.

“My first two pro fights ended in the first round but I expect Darcy to give me a good fight which is what I want out of boxing.

“I’m training with the best teachers at Chris McCullen’s gym and I want the chance to transfer what I’m learning in the gym into the boxing ring in a good, hard fight.’’

Lussick is eight years younger than Hodges, 10kg heavier and a few centimetres taller.

But Hodges says he has good men in his corner who will help him cut his big rival down to size.

“Anthony Mundine has always been an inspiration,’’ Hodges said. “He was the guy who first got me into boxing training in a serious way and while I try to box in the same style as him I wasn’t able to show that in my first two fights.

Darcy Lussick playing for the Sea Eagles in 2017. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“I do a lot of sparring with (world title challenger) Trent Broadhurst who teaches me things every day in the gym. He has been a terrific help along with the Russell twins. They are great fighters. I’m learning from the best.

“I’m really looking forward to the fight because I think it will be a good match-up and a real challenge for me.’’

Hodges said he would probably only have ``one or two more fights’’ before hanging up his gloves.

While he remained hopeful of one day fighting Gallen, he said it was more likely the former Cronulla skipper would seek a rematch with Barry Hall after their six-round slugfest in Melbourne last Friday ended in draw.

Hodges said he would definitely not be challenging that other fighting footballer Sonny Bill Williams “any time soon’’ because “SBW is a lot more advanced in boxing than me’’.

“We’ll see how this fight with Darcy goes,’’ Hodges said. “I’m going to have a holiday with my family in Singapore after I fight Darcy and we’ll reassess what happens after that.’’

Hodges said his earlier claim that he had never heard of Lussick before being challenged by him was a “bit of a pump up’’.

Justin Hodges drops Rob Baron in his pro debut in Sydney in February. (AAP Image/Jeremy Piper)

“Of course I know him,’’ Hodges said, “I even played rugby league against him.

“He’s been in the top class of league for a long time.’’

Lussick said he was at the Gold Coast wedding of his friend, Titans player Nathan Peats a month ago when he received a phone call offering him the fight.

“For the last few years I’ve wanted to have a crack at boxing and this seemed like the perfect opportunity,’’ Lussick said.

“I train at Paul Gallen’s Southside gym in Sydney and he has offered to help us for this fight but after Gal’s bout with Barry Hall, getting into the boxing ring will probably be the last thing on his mind for a while.’’

Hodges also sent his condolences to the family of former Australian champ Dwight Ritchie, who died sparring Michael Zerafa in Melbourne two weeks ago as Zerafa was preparing for his rematch with Jeff Horn in Brisbane.

Barry Hall attacks Paul Gallen in Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

“Boxing is a brutal sport,’’ Hodges said, “and what happened to Dwight was a tragedy.

“I’m going in there next month to win a fight against Darcy but no one wants to see a boxer get seriously injured.’’

The Hodges-Lussick fight will be on the undercard to unbeaten Tim Tszyu’s battle with Sydney rival Jack Brubaker.

Also on the card, Trent Broadhurst fights unbeaten Kiwi cruiserweight David Light with the winner likely to meet Olympian Jai Opetaia, who stopped Queensland world title challenger Mark Flanagan in eight rounds in Sydney on Saturday night.