‘Sharpen your pencil’: Paul Gallen demands more money for Justis Huni fight

Paul Gallen has called out Justis Huni and his team as the rumours grow the pair are closer to a deal — for the right fee.

Paul Gallen wants the money.

Fresh off his win over former WBO world champion Lucas Browne, Paul Gallen is still no closer to deciding his next opponent, but it appears to be firming as Australian heavyweight titleholder Justis Huni.

Taking to Instagram for a video, Gallen shut down any of the hype around his next fight, saying nothing was in stone as yet as he decides on his next fight.

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Gallen, who stunned the boxing world with a first round knockout of Browne earlier this month, appears to be one of the hottest boxing prospects in Australia at the moment.

While it suits Gallen, who is looking for as much money as he can from his move into boxing with blockbuster fights as he approaches 40 years of age, he appears headed for an Australian title shot.

Gallen has been linked to a fight with Huni, who won the Australian heavyweight title in his first professional fight and will be looking for a few more fights under his belt before going for Olympic gold.

While Huni has been criticised for his opponents, particularly his last win over Jack Maris, Australian boxing fans are eager to see if he is the real deal, and with BoxRec rating Gallen as Australia’s second best heavyweight, while Huni is ranked fourth.

Talk in continuing of a Huni-Gallen clash.

Before the Gallen-Browne fight, a $2 million carrot was also reportedly being waved in front of the winner with a reported Suncorp Stadium mega-fight.

Gallen has also been cultivating a feud with Aussie UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker.

Despite fighting at around 20kg less than Gallen in the Browne fight, the pair have been jawing online since Gallen defeated retired UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt, when Gallen called Whittaker a “condescending prick” for laughing over the prospect of a fight on a podcast.

Whittaker recently turned down a title shot with Israel Adesanya with the Aussie unable to recover and prepare for a title fight by June, particularly with quarantine’s when arriving in Australia.

Whittaker stoked the flame once more with Fox Sports this week, saying he’ll have time between now and October before a potential title rematch.

“I’ve certainly got the time if Gal wants to set that up,” Whittaker said.

“We can work something out, for sure. I’ve got the time now, could be a bit of fun.

“I’m in the fighting business and it would be a decent payday, so why not? I’ve got time.”

Robert Whittaker is also stoking the flame.

Gallen hit back at the claims, saying Whittaker and the UFC wouldn’t let it happen as a Gallen win would be an “embarrassment” for the UFC.

“Everyone is tagging me in this Rob Whittaker stuff. Let’s be honest – Rob Whittaker has had a war with (Kelvin) Gastelum, he’s in quarantine and he’s not doing nothing in the next five or six weeks,” he said via Instagram.

“Do you really reckon the UFC is going to let him fight me before he fights for a title later in the year?

“Mark Hunt was gonna kill me, Lucas Browne was gonna kill me.

“You imagine I beat Rob Whittaker before he fought for the UFC title? It would be an embarrassment.”

Paul Gallen has set the record straight.

As for Huni, Gallen has long said he’s in it for the money and he’s got a short time to make his riches.

“Then there’s of course Justis Huni. I have been talking to Dean Lonergan, he has made me an offer, as has been reported today,” he said.

“Dean, sharpen your pencil mate. You want me in the ring with him, sharpen your pencil – it’s nowhere near what I will accept for the fight. You need to fix it up.

“You want it to happen, make it happen. Sharpen the pencil, ring me back – you’ve got my number.

“If you didn’t hear it from me, it’s not really happening.”