Home Latest Paul Gallen’s ‘promise’ to Sonny Bill Williams over two-year timeline

Paul Gallen’s ‘promise’ to Sonny Bill Williams over two-year timeline

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Paul Gallen’s ‘promise’ to Sonny Bill Williams over two-year timeline

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NRL great Paul Gallen has handed Sonny Bill Williams a reality check after the cross-code international said the pair were two years away from a fight.

Gallen, who is promoting his December 10 showdown with NRL forward Josh Aloiai, said he might not still be fighting when Williams is finally ready to fight.

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It comes after Williams, who was on a book tour at the time, spread the message that he was turning his attention to the ring, having hung up the footy boots.

A fight between Gallen and Williams has long been touted and the pair have often baited each other over the years.

Williams said in interviews that he was looking at dedicating himself to the sport for at least two years, slamming Gallen for going for the money.

“For me, I’m in it for the challenge,” he told ABC Radio.

“When it comes to fighting Paul Gallen or Barry Hall, those guys are all part of the process but for me it’s about the daily grind and being wholeheartedly in it.

“That stems from something more than say, ‘I’ve got my eyes on solely focused on Paul Gallen or Barry Hall’.”

Sonny Bill Williams is nearly ready for Gallen.Source: News Corp Australia

Williams has had just one fight since moving over to boxing, narrowly defeating Waikato Falefehi in a low-profile fight in Townsville in his first outing in the ring in six years.

Gallen meanwhile pocketed a reported $1.275 million from his bout with Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni in June.

But while a fight between Gallen and Williams would be huge money for both parties after years of speculation, the former Sharks captain said he’s not going to wait around forever for Williams, having turned 40 in August.

Speaking to Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast, Gallen said that two years might be a bit too long to wait.

“I’ve got to be honest, I don’t think so (a fight with SBW),” Gallen admitted. “I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. It’s been spoken about for 10 years now and I don’t think it’s going to happen.

“At the end of the day, Josh Aloiai’s the only person on my mind at the moment so I don’t even want to think about him.

“To be realistic, I’m 40 years old. I said yesterday at the press conference that I don’t know how much I’ve got left in me. I’ve got enough to beat this bloke and then we’ll weigh it up after that.

Gallen has proved himself. Picture: Richard DobsonSource: News Corp Australia

“I’ve been a professional athlete for 20 years now and I’ve built a great life for myself. I’ve got a great family and friends and it’s time to start enjoying that side of life as well. You get to a point where you just have to start to live life and enjoy life and not constantly be training and battering your body. I’m almost at that stage.

“Sonny said in the next two years me and him would fight, I can promise you that I won’t be fighting after the next 12 months, if I even get that far. I’m very very doubtful that me and Sonny will ever happen.”

Gallen said that he will fight a bit heavier than he did against Justis Huni where he broke two ribs early in the fight.

It comes as Gallen stays on the war path, continuing to savage Aloiai for wanting to fight two minutes rounds.

Gallen revealed that the fight “came out of the blue” and had come from Aloiai.

The pair had a bitter discussion, eventually working out the number of rounds on an Instagram Live video with No Limit Boxing boss George Rose and Main Event host Ben Damon.

It locked the fight in for December 10, where the fight will headline the second night of a two night boxing extravaganza featuring the pro debut of Olympic bronze medallist Harry Garside and the return fight for former world champion Andrew Moloney.

It will also see Joey Leilua and Chris Heighington battling it out in a 4×2-minute round clash.

Paul Gallen said he wants. Picture: Richard DobsonSource: News Corp Australia

But Gallen savaged Aloiai in the press conference announcing the fight, calling the Manly star “embarrassing”.

“Here’s a guy who has said he’s grown up with boxing, he’s been boxing since he could walk. He even said he’s got more experience than me and that anyone who knows anything about boxing says he’ll win the fight,” he said.

“Yet he’s got three guys down here sitting in front of him that he’s going to earn more money than.

“He’s going to earn more money than them and yet he’s fighting two-minute rounds. It’s embarrassing. It’s embarrassing to the sport.”

Aloiai replied: “Everyone here is so bored of talking about this. They just want to get ready for the fight. I can tell you the same stuff. Might as well go and watch the Barry Hall press conference. It’s all the same, copy and paste.”

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