Paul Gallen beats Darcy Lussick by TKO, splits $20,000 knockout bonus with Harry Garside
Paul Gallen awaits a potential $4 million payday after fighting off a Darcy Lussick barrage to stop his former NRL opponent in the third round. See every result here.
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So which old footy player wants to take on Paul Gallen next?
Sonny Bill Williams?
Sam Burgess?
Bueller?
Say what you like about the Cronulla premiership hero — plenty do — but there is no doubting the polarising heavyweight is quickly running out of former leaguies to punch on with after demolishing Darcy Lussick in the third round of their Xmas Footy Fight Night at The Star.
On a chaotic Wednesday night, both Harry Garside and Sam Goodman confirmed themselves as the freshest new faces of Australian boxing, while Justin Hodges won on points, Joey Leilua did the same and tattooed strongman Alex Simon was sensationally disqualified on debut.
But still the show belonged to Gallen.
With the NSW Origin great withstanding a flurry of punches from Lussick in the second round before then dropping his exhausted rival, who collapsed to the canvas again on the bell.
Then in the third, it was all Gallen again.
With referee Les Fear eventually waving the contest off with just 20 seconds gone.
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph on fight eve, Gallen revealed he had an $8 million super fight deal on the table to face Williams, but suggested the New Zealand great was running from it.
There has also been talk about a fight with South Sydney premiership hero Burgess, worth $1 million to him.
But as for what is next?
“No idea,” he said afterwards.
The fighting footballer, who was awarded a $20,000 bonus for finish of the night, then said on stage for both Garside and Goodman to meet him backstage, because he wanted to give them some cash.
Certainly Lussick, who took the fight on late notice, had a real crack, and had his moments early. Just as you would expect of a fella who, in 2019, knocked Justin Hodges cold in 39 seconds.
But even with the rounds reduced to two minutes, Lussick simply couldn’t go with a fighter whose most recent resume includes bouts against Justis Huni, Lucas Browne and Mark Hunt.
Asked about Lussick’s second round flurry, Gallen added: “Go back and have a look at the tape, not a single punch landed.
“But he’s a tough dude.
“I can’t thank him enough for taking the fight.”
Fenech slams ‘disgusting’ corner
Darcy Lussick's brother’s professional boxing debut came to a shocking end after copping 89 blows to the head in his bout against Taylan May.
Boxing legend Jeff Fenech slammed Freddy Lussick’s corner after his four-round pommelling at the hands of May.
Lussick was bruised and bloodied after the first round but bravely fought on much to the horror of Fenech who slammed the Sydney Roosters young gun’s corner.
“He didn’t need to take these 300 punches he’s taken already, especially when you don’t know how to take a punch or how to ride a punch,” Fenech said after the fight.
“The referee is disgusting at the moment. My god, mate they’re football players.
“The ref’s lost all control.
“They don’t need to go through that. We talk about looking after people. He won’t cop that in 30 football games. In 50 football games, he’s not going to get hit that many times.
“And we’re trying to say we’re looking after people? That’s c**p – c**p by his corner, c**p by the referee.
BELOW: RESULTS FROM GALLEN—LUSSICK FIGHT NIGHT
“There’s total nil care shown for the human being in this. I just don’t like it, I don’t like even sitting here watching it.
“They had a go, they had a dig – one guy was totally outclassed, let’s leave it at that and let’s stop it while we can and while we can look after their health.”
Leilua shocks four-round critics
Joey Leilua put an elbow into the throat of Chris Heighington, wrestled him to the ground, continually held his right arm, landed a couple of big rights, wrestled some more, and after all of that, eventually won his heavyweight debut on points.
But all the punted Wests Tigers centre wanted to talk about afterwards?
Going the distance.
“I just wanted to show that I could last the f...ing four rounds,” he grinned.
While most punters had tipped Leilua, who arrived to the ring in an oversized Mexican sombrero, to go hard early then fade, the polarising footy star hung in for all four rounds of a fight where the two debutants certainly gave everything they had.
“Credit to Joey,” Heighington said. “Everyone hates on him but he's a pretty good guy”.
UFC hopeful cops controversial DQ
Australian strongman Alex Simon has furiously denied suggestions he hit a felled opponent after his hyped heavyweight debut ended in a controversial disqualification.
Early in the second round, the 135kg Simon clinched with rival Tavita Vaoga and, as the pair wrestled, it was the latter who went tumbling to the canvas.
Within moments, referee Les Fear waved off the fight and then indicated towards Main Event commentators Ben Damon and Jeff Fenech that the Australia’s Strongest Man winner had tripped his rival and whacked him on the ground.
Lol, can’t do that in boxing I don’t think mate. #GallenLussick#OzBoxing
— BRÄ€D 🎅🻠(@bradfogarty101) December 22, 2021
Yet speaking with The Daily Telegraph backstage, Simon suggested that, as the pair were in a clinch, he had simply tried to stabilise himself as he was falling backwards.
So as for the punch on the ground allegation?
“Didn’t happen,” he fired. “Watch the replay. At worst, I should’ve had a point taken off. That’s it.”
Grabbed later for a comment Vaoga also said the former powerlifter, who is now chasing a UFC contract, had not struck him when he was on the ground, but had tripped him.
BELOW: RESULTS FROM GALLEN—LUSSICK FIGHT NIGHT
“No, he didn’t hit me on the ground,” said the Central Coast fighter, whose corner included UFC fighter Jamie Mullarkey and retired UFC favourite Ross Pearson.
Asked about fighting the strongman, he added: “I wanted the fight because he’s my idol.
“He’s been the biggest strongest guy in the country. That’s why I wanted him.”
And as for what’s next?
“Give me Sonny Bill Williams,” he grinned.
Beer sculling star steals the show
Australian super bantamweight Sam Goodman sculled a beer while perched on the shoulders of his mates, singing Sweet Caroline, to confirm himself the fresh new face of Australian boxing.
Already undefeated in nine fights, Goodman claimed the WBO Oriental super bantamweight title with a convincing sixth round stoppage of Filipino Richie Mepranum (36-8-1)
Buoyed by a personal cheer squad of roughly 200, Goodman stopped his rival in the sixth with a big body, then head – with Mepranum going down and showing no interest in getting up.
Cue madness in the bleachers.
“They come out every time,” Goodman said afterwards, pointing to the mob as they cheered his name. “They’re f…ing rad.”
So too Goodman, who would soon be celebrating, belt strapped about his weight, among the mob.
Despite facing a rival who threw what he described as “awkward s…”, the Albion Park native quickly “found my range, found my rhythm”.
“I knew I’d break him,” he added. “And that’s what happened.”
Despite being based out of Albion Park, Goodman is currently working under the tutelage of respected fight trainer Joel Keegan, whose Complete Boxing gym is based at West Gosford – a tick over 200km away.
Prior to the fight, Goodman told us he expects to go top 15 with the win, and plans to have himself into a world title fight within two years.
“That’s the plan — winning multiple world titles in multiple divisions,” he said.
“But it’s a process.
“You only have to look at how long it’s taken guys like Tim Tszyu and the Moloney boys. So I just need to do my due diligence and take the right fights.”
Hodgo survives Ross Dog rocking
Okay, so he hasn’t won over Sydney just yet.
But Queensland Public Enemy No.1 Justin Hodges has done enough.
Two years after being knocked cold by Darcy Lussick, the former Queensland Origin centre has fought his way to a gutsy points win over Newcastle cult figure Nathan Ross.
One judge scored the fight a draw, with two more going the way of Hodges 39-38 and 39-37.
Afterwards, Hodges admitted that he was rocked early by a Ross uppercut.
“He got me early,” Hodgo admitted. “I was sh...ing myself. I don’t have the strongest chin after Darcy knocked me out.”
Back in 2019, the retired NRL star was kayoed in just 39 seconds by Darcy Lussick.
But the Maroons FOG rallied over the latter three rounds, albeit with a backhand in the fourth that prompted that Ross Dog to shout “backhand, f... me” towards the referee.
Early controversy rocks NRL Fight Night
Australian amateur star Ella Boot has earned a controversial win in the first fight of her professional career, with the rival corner blowing up over the unanimous decision win.
Fighting first up on the Xmas Footy Fight Night, the 21-year-old trained by the legendary Johnny Lewis won a unanimous decision against Gunnedah rival Enja Prest.
While all three judges scored the bout 40-36, Prest’s corner were furious with the result and were seen making their frustrations known to members of No Limit Boxing promotions.
That was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen in boxing, Enja Prest was up 2-1 heading into that final round. Disgusting judges’ performance. #GallenLussick
— Aymon Bertah (@AymonBertah) December 22, 2021
FULL FIGHT CARD
- Paul Gallen vs Darcy Lussick (Heavyweight) (3x 2-minute rounds) RESULT: Gallen def Lussick by TKO
- Harry Garside (Pro Debut) vs Sachin Mudaliar (Lightweight) (6x 3-minute rounds) RESULT: Garside def Mudaliar by ref stoppage
- Joey Leilua vs Chris Heighington (3x 2-minute rounds) RESULT: Leilua def Heighington by UD
- Freddy Lussick vs Taylan May RESULT: May def F. Lussick by UD
- Sam Goodman vs Richie Mepranum RESULT: Goodman def Mepranum by TKO
- Justin Hodges vs Nathan Ross (Heavyweight) (3x 2-minute rounds) RESULT: Hodges def Ross by majority decision
- Godly Strong vs Tavita Vaogo RESULT: Alex Simon (God) disqualified
- Enja Prest vs Ella Boot RESULT: Boot def. Prest by UD
- Linn Sandstrom vs Natalie Hills RESULT: Hills def. Sandstrom by UD
- Katie McLaren vs Malakay Moukayber RESULT: majority draw. Two judges scored the fight 38-38, while one judge had it 39-37 in favour of Moukayber.
BEAST PLANS TO TAKE GAL’S CASH
Australian strongman Alex Simon has revealed his hyped professional boxing debut has only arrived this Wednesday night after shedding a whopping 45kg — or roughly the equivalent of super bantamweight Sam Goodman.
Already on the radar of UFC executives, 135kg Simon is the early favourite to steal the show at Wednesday‘s Christmas Footy Fight Night Card where a $20,000 bonus is being offered for the best knockout.
While he tipped the scales at 136.7kg on Tuesday, the former powerlifter was still weighing 181kg as recently as January thanks to an extended injury lay-off.
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