‘Get behind him’: Paul Gallen demands Australia backs Jai Opetaia’s world title shot

Paul Gallen has called for Australia to rally behind boxing star Jai Opetaia as he prepares to fight for a rare feat on home soil.

The pair sparred six round on the Gold Coast. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Paul Gallen has once again put his body on the line to help Australian boxing, sparring with world cruiserweight title contender Jai Opetaia on the Gold Coast on Thursday.

The 21-0 Opetaia finally gets his shot at a world title against the number one ranked cruiserweight in the world Mairis Briedis on May 11 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre after a delay pushed the fight back several weeks.

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Both ESPN and Boxrec rank the 37-year-old Briedis (28-1) as the top cruiserweight in the world as his only loss came against former unified cruiserweight king and current heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk.

But the fight is potentially a huge moment for Australian boxing as Opetaia aims to be the first Aussie since Jeff Horn defeated Manny Pacquiao to win the world title on home soil and follow hot on the heels of George Kambosos Jr. winning three world titles in one fell swoop in his stunning defeat of Teofimo Lopez last year.

And Gallen has helped the Aussie star’s preparation with a sparring session on the Gold Coast.

Speaking to news.com.au after the session, Gallen said Opetaia was ready and raring to go.

“It was good, we flew up today and jumped in there and had six rounds, I did about four on the bags after it, he did about 10 I reckon,” he said.

“He’s going well, he’s looking fit. He’s just got to fine tune himself over the next nine weeks until the fight and get in there and get the win.”

Jai Opetaia is looking ready for action. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Gallen also praised Opetaia, who is arguably at the fittest he’s been in his career.

The 26-year-old southpaw had surgery on his left hand before his last fight after dealing with a break he suffered “six or seven years” earlier and had been with him through most of his career.

“He’s elite, he’s just a fantastic fighter,” Gallen said. “He’s just so fast, so precise. To be fair, he’s dominated Australia and now it’s time to get on the world stage and what better way to do it than fight for a world title.

“It’s huge for Australian boxing, it’s huge for him. I just hope Australian boxing and the Australian public get behind him to support him.

“We’ve seen a resurgence in boxing over the past few years, got Tim Tszyu going to America and fighting in a few weeks, you’ve got Kambosos winning a world title – these guys need our support. Jai’s fighting for a world title, the first world title on Australian shores since Jeff Horn, so it’s a huge occasion.”

Gallen added he hopes he can get to the fight to support Opetaia himself, although he also has to juggle his NRL commentary and media commitments for Channel 9.

The former NRL great turned boxer has made strong comments about boxing purists who take aim at the rise of football players trying their hand at the sweet science.

After claiming a KO win over former Manly forward Darcy Lussick in December on the second night of a two-night event which saw former world champion Andrew Moloney on night one, Gallen hit out at the critics.

“I want to say something quick. A lot of people tonight copped a lot of flack because footy players were fighting,” Gallen said post-fight.

“I watched (Tuesday) night where the boxers were fighting and about 100 people turned up to watch them. So where’s all these boxer people out there supporting boxers? I don’t see it.”

Jai Opetaia and Paul Gallen ahead of Jai's upcoming world title fight. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Asked about the comments, Gallen said he always wanted to help promote boxing and boxers during his career.

“People have a go at me and rugby league players for getting in and doing it,” Gallen said. “I can understand to a certain degree some of their frustration with it but I mean, I’m not just turning up and jumping in the ring and getting paid a s**t load of money. I’m training for months before hand and dedicating myself to the sport.

“If I was just turning up on the night, putting on a s**t show and getting my money and leaving, then I understand the frustration. But I’ve never ever done that once, I’ve always been ready to fight and I’ve always performed well in every fight. I think I’ve done right by the sport.

“I’ve said from my very first fight if I can help promote the boxers, I’ll do it, and I remember having Tim Tszyu on my undercard, and we said ‘if he headlines his own act, it’s good for Australian boxing’ and look where he’s at at the moment, headlining a show in America. What better way to prove himself than to go there and do that and to help Jai and guys like that, Harry Garside, it’s just a good thing for me to do right at the back end of my sporting career.”

As for Gallen’s boxing career, the 12-1-1 boxer who’s only loss came at the hands of Australian heavyweight star Justis Huni, who will fight as Opetaia’ co-main, said he’s unsure of who he will fight next.

Paul Gallen has had one hell of a second wind in his athletic career. Picture: Tertius Pickard

He said the UFC had said no to the Robert Whittaker fight, he was “not sure what was happening” with Sam Burgess but that it was unlikely, and said he wasn’t sure what would happen after Barry Hall and Sonny Bill Williams’ fight on March 23.

But Gallen was sure on one thing – he will retire at the end of the year.

“I’m 99.9 per cent sure, I’m ready to start enjoying life in retirement,” he said. “Not a lot left in the old body.”

He said he will likely have one more fight but that it might have to wait until the NRL season finishes but added there was nothing in the pipeline in the next six months at this point in time.