Boxing 2022: Paul Gallen offers knockout bounty to Justin Hodges

A war of words between Paul Gallen and Justin Hodges ahead of their September fight quickly escalated to the NSW legend daring the Maroon to put his money where his mouth was.

Paul Gallen. Picture: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

Paul Gallen has taken the extraordinary step of offering a $50,000 bounty for Justin Hodges to “put his balls on the line” and knock him out when the Origin rivals trade blows at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

Gallen will become the first Australian boxer in 132 years to fight two opponents on the same night when he squares off against Hodges and Ben Hannant on Queensland soil on Thursday, September 15.

It didn’t take long for fireworks to erupt at the official press conference on Wednesday, with Gallen and Hodges firing up in a war of words that ended with the NSW Origin legend challenging his rival to a mouth-watering wager.

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As if this fight wasn't a must watch event already, Paul Gallen throws $50k on the table 😲🤯

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Gallen (12-2-1, 7KO) is so confident of belting both men he offered juicy odds for Hodges to put $10,000 on himself to drop the former Sharks captain and send him into early retirement.

“If you knock me out, I will give you five-to-one (odds),” Gallen said to Hodges, staring down the former Broncos captain.

“I will give you $50,000.

“That’s bigger than any sportsman has ever offered … five to one, have $10,000 on yourself to win.

“If you knock me out, you get $50,000 off me, plus you get your pay from the promoters.

“Put your balls on the line.”

Hodges attempted to laugh off Gallen’s financial proposal, prompting the 348-game NRL legend to ramp up his attack.

“Stop talking shit and put $50,000 on it,” Gallen fired.

“I will come and shake your hand now. Let’s shake hands on a $10,000 (bet).

“If I beat him, $10,000 comes out of his purse.”

Justin Hodges (R), pictured punching Ben Hannant, is confident he can knockout Paul Gallen. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Hodges had no interest in shaking Gallen’s hand, pledging to let his fists do the talking, buoyed by three consecutive wins against Jordan Simi, Hannant and Nathan Ross.

“Why would I shake your hand before a fight, I will do it after,” Hodges said, hitting back at Gallen.

“I will knock you out, you are too small.

“I beat you in every series at Origin level and I will beat you again.

“Gal is one of the most hated people in Queensland … everyone hated him when he wore the NSW jersey.

“When he comes up here it will be electric for us and he will be booed.

“This fight suits my style. I know he likes to walk forward and that suits me, I will catch him.”

The format has yet to be finalised but it is understood Hannant will fight Gallen first, before Hodges enters the ring second after a one-hour break between bouts.

“It won’t go the distance, that’s for sure,” Hannant said.

“You fight fire with fire with Gallen. I have watched every fight he’s had, he’s aggressive and he keeps coming all day.

“We will be going after each other and I don’t think it will go the distance.”

Gallen agreed with Hannant’s assessment.

“It’s going to be as fast and furious as I’ve ever been with pants on,” he said.

“It will be over very fast.”

DOUBLE TROUBLE: GALLEN’S HISTORIC FIGHT LOCKED IN

Paul Gallen will become the first Australian boxer in 132 years to fight twice in one night when he takes on former Origin rivals Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant in a heavyweight double header on Queensland soil.

News Corp can reveal Gallen has inked a historic double-header deal to trade blows with Hodges and Hannant on Thursday, September 15 at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

It is understood Gallen is the first Australian in more than a century to fight two opponents in one night, emulating one of the nation’s earliest world champions, Albert ‘Young Griffo’ Griffiths, who had back-to-back bouts in 1890.

Gallen (12-2-1, 7KO) infuriated Maroons league fans during his NSW Origin career when he famously quipped Queenslanders had two heads.

Now he has promised to bash two Queensland heads on the same night, with the former NSW Origin skipper-turned-fighter outlining plans to drop Hodges and Hannant in what shapes as his penultimate career fight.

Gallen is confident he will knock out Hodges and Hannant on the same night.

Hodges called out Gallen after he beat Hannant in their heavyweight clash in June and the Broncos legends have teamed up in a bid to topple the Cronulla Sharks ironman.

“I said in the lead up to their last fight that there’d be nothing more enjoyable than getting to bash two Queenslanders in one night and here we are,” Gallen said.

“We’re locked in, I’ve agreed to fight Hodges and Hannant on the same night.

“It’s going to be a big challenge, but I’m up for it and I know I’ll beat both of them, if not knock them out.

“Hannant is a guy with great ticker, but I really want to knock out Hodges.

“He has been calling me out for months and he thinks he has some power in his right hand, but I always said Justin should be careful what he wishes for.

“Now he has got his wish … and hopefully I become his worst nightmare.”

Queensland boxing authorities have rubber-stamped the double header.

Justin Hodges, right, defeated Ben Hannant in Brisbane in June. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Promoters No Limit are in the process of thrashing out precise fight details, with Gallen likely to face Hannant and Hodges over three or four rounds each.

That means Gallen will fight no more than a total of eight rounds and he is pushing for three-minute rounds, as opposed to the shorter two-minute affairs Hodges enjoyed in his disposal of Hannant.

Whether Hodges or Hannant enter the ring first has yet to be decided. Gallen would prefer to fight Hodges and Hannant in two continuous bouts with no rest, but boxing bosses want the 40-year-old to have a 60-minute break before taking on his second opponent.

“I would prefer to fight both of them one after the other straight away,” Gallen said.

“I will turn 41 by the time the fight comes around so it is a worry, how my body handles a break between fights.

“The boxing authorities want me to have a one-hour break between fights which will be an issue for me.

Justin Hodges (left) and Ben Hannant are joining forces in a bid to beat Gallen.

“My preference is to have the fights back to back, I have done it plenty of times in sparring when I spar one bloke then another blokes jumps in.

“To have to stop, cool down, go back to the change rooms and start all over again will be hard, but whatever happens, I will train my ass off and make sure I beat both of them.”

Gallen has taken a beating in the past 15 months with two losses to Justis Huni and Kris Terzievski and admits retirement is on the horizon.

“I’m starting to feel my age,” he said.

“No Limit have me pencilled in for my last fight in December, so that‘s the plan as far as they go. They will support me if I want to retire earlier.

“If I lose these fights, that will be it, but if I beat Hodges and Hannant, I will weigh up my next opponent.

“My plan is to retire at the end of this year.“I will have one more fight against a rugby league player … I’m done with fighting professionals like Huni and Terzievski.”

Originally published as Boxing 2022: Paul Gallen offers knockout bounty to Justin Hodges