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Gorden Tallis offered $50K to fight Blues hard man David Klemmer

GORDEN Tallis has been offered the chance to follow through with his claim he’d belt NSW Blues enforcer David Klemmer if he got the chance.

Video still of Gorden Tallis with bloodied nose on sideline after fight during 1997 Brisbane v Wigan Super League (SL) World Club Challenge RL game, 16/06/97. Pic Courtesy Channel Nine (9) Rugby League P/
Video still of Gorden Tallis with bloodied nose on sideline after fight during 1997 Brisbane v Wigan Super League (SL) World Club Challenge RL game, 16/06/97. Pic Courtesy Channel Nine (9) Rugby League P/

QUEENSLAND rugby league legend Gorden Tallis will be offered $50,000 to take on NSW State of Origin forward David Klemmer in a boxing bout.

Tallis criticised Klemmer after the Canterbury youngster seemed to have a running battle with most of the Maroons’ pack in the second Origin clash at the MCG.

“I didn’t run in and push people and stand there and do all that,” Tallis said on Triple M.

“Everybody forgets, I never ran in and pushed. Yeah, I did punch people when they got in my face. He (Klemmer) would’ve been one of them, 100 per cent.”

New Zealand-based Duco Events is prepared to pay Tallis to punch Klemmer in Hamilton on December 5 in their annual Fight for Life charity boxing show, which has previously featured league stars including Blues captain Paul Gallen, Sam Thaiday and Willie Mason.

“We would like to offer Gorden the opportunity to fight against David Klemmer,” Duco Events director David Higgins told AAP on Thursday.

David Klemmer gets some early training in, just in case.
David Klemmer gets some early training in, just in case.

“We will pay Gorden $50,000 Australian and we will pay for his training expenses.

“The fight will be (over) three two-minute rounds, wearing headgear and 16-ounce gloves, so it’s got a very safe track record — there’s no dramas.

“It’s really a test of skill and fitness. It’s up to Gorden.”

Duco’s unbeaten world-ranked New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker (14-0) will fight his first major Australian opponent, with Bowie Tupou (25-3) meeting the rising Kiwi star on August 1 in Invercargill.

Higgins said Duco’s Australian welterweight Jeff Horn (10-0-1), who will fight Ukraine’s Victor Plotnykov on the same card, had climbed to No.10 in the WBO rankings after his latest win earlier this month in Palmerston North.

Originally published as Gorden Tallis offered $50K to fight Blues hard man David Klemmer

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/gorden-tallis-offered-50k-to-fight-blues-hard-man-david-klemmer/news-story/1e7260ea4c701fe6ff5d30bb1b7b5484