'Rocked my brains': Justin Hodges stuns Paul Gallen in epic boxing clash

Paul Gallen was given an almighty scare in his boxing marathon when NRL legend Justin Hodges dropped him with a brutal shot.

Matthew Sullivan

2 min read

September 15, 2022 - 5:38PM

Justin Hodges dropped Paul Gallen with a beauty. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Well that didn't quite go to script.

Paul Gallen has survived his unusual boxing marathon, defeating NRL legends Ben Hannant and Justin Hodges in Brisbane on Thursday night.

Fighting twice on the same evening was always going to be difficult but the two Queenslanders made Gallen work extra hard for his victories.

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Hannant took on Gallen first and can hold his head high after going the full four rounds and leaving his opponent bloodied as Gallen won via unanimous decision.

An hour later, Hodges stepped in the ring and came out swinging - landing a series of brutal blows on Gallen as he dominated the early exchanges as a mega upset looked on the cards.

Hodges peppered Gallen and dropped him as the Cronulla Sharks great fell onto the canvas on all fours.

Main Event's Ben Damon said: "He's rocked him! A huge start from Justin Hodges. Gallen needs to weather a storm here against a fired-up Justin Hodges.

Justin Hodges dropped Paul Gallen with a beauty. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

"That's the best we've ever seen him."

But in typical Gallen style he got to his feet and returned fire, hammering Hodges with countless shots to the body and head to take back control of the fight.

Hodges was wobbly on his feet by the fourth and final round and one last jab from Gallen was enough to knock him out and the referee stopped the fight.

Hodges wanted to continue but Gallen was awarded his second victory of the evening by TKO.

The Queenslander branded the referee's stoppage "absolute bulls***" and Gallen immediately agreed to a rematch in the ring straight after the fight.

Gallen has one fight left on his contract and wants to fight Hodges again in November in a rematch with six three-minute rounds.

“I know the ref’s got a job to do, but there was no way in the world I was hurt,” Hodges said.

“It’s absolute bullcrap. But I’m an ultimate professional, I take it on the chin.

Rematch? Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

“If Gal wants to do six three-minute rounds, it’s up to (No Limit's) Matty and George (Rose). I want a rematch because that was bulls***.”

There was no love lost between the two fighters in the lead-up but Gallen was full of praise for Hodges, who he said knocked the life out of him with a brutal shot.

"That was really tough," he said after the fight.

"Getting up again, it was probably harder than I thought it was going to be, to be honest.

"I got dropped by Herman Purcell in my first ever fight, (Justis) Huni semi dropped me. Other than that, that's the first time I've been put down by a shot that's absolutely stung me and rocked my brains.

"Got me fair and square. It took me five seconds to get up and make sure I was OK and suck some deep breaths in."