Paul Gallen calls for rematch after judges fail to split Code War
NRL star Paul Gallen has called for a rematch against former AFL spearhead Barry Hall after the result of the Code War fight left a bitter taste in his mouth. RECAP ALL THE ACTION
A fuming Paul Gallen is eager for a rematch with Barry Hall and will even postpone a planned shoulder reconstruction to make it happen.
Friday night’s Code War ended in a contentious majority draw and there were jeers around Margaret Court Arena after the result was announced.
One judge awarded the bout to Gallen 58-56 but the other two scored the fight even.
Gallen said the draw "felt like a loss" and was convinced he had won.
“I knew he’s be a tough guy. One thing about professional athletes, we’re all tough.
“I knew it would be hard to hurt but I kept going forward on him but he did everything he could to survive.
“That’s not the way the fight game is supposed to go. I was disappointed in the result but we move on.
“I thought I out-jabbed him, to be honest with you, in the last three rounds and that’s where I won the fight. Constantly going forward on him, constantly making the fight.
“That’s what you’ve got to do in boxing. I was the aggressor (but) I’ve got no points for that clearly from two of the judges.
“Did he hurt me? No. He hit me hard, he hit me with some clean shots. It was a good fight and I’m happy to do it again.”
Hall also thought he had done enough to win but said he missed an opportunity to put Gallen away after his trainer Angelo Hyder told him after the fourth round his opponent was “gassed”.
"I needed to push the fight a bit more and I didn't do that," Hall said.
“I’m not happy with my performance, to be perfectly honest.
“There was a lot I didn’t do that I should have. I’m a combination punching and I just didn’t get off as much as I would have liked.
“I think I paid him too much respect tonight.”
Originally published as Paul Gallen calls for rematch after judges fail to split Code War