Villain’s crown handed to Zerafa

DEPARTING boxing villain Paul Gallen has handed the crown to Michael Zerafa, saying the hated Melbourne fighter can take over as a pay-perview star despite his lacklustre performance last Wednesday.

After Zerafa’s boring victory over Danilo Creati, which followed Gallen’s final fight – a win against Justin Hodges in Sydney – Gallen went to Zerafa’s dressing room and told a handful of journalists present he could fill the void the former NRL star would leave behind as a fight salesman.

“I anoint you, you can take over,” Gallen told Zerafa.

“He is the new villain of Australian boxing. He can sell the pay-per-views, he’s next, he’s got it. Look, I can admit it when a person is a w----r, but he is actually a nice guy.”

After watching Zerafa’s performance, most Australian fans will struggle to see him becoming a record-breaking payper-view star, but there is little denying he has the X-factor Gallen and Anthony Mundine had – people want to see him get knocked out.

Zerafa welcomed the title of chief boxing villain.

“I’ll definitely take that role,” he said. “He’s an absolute gentleman, Gal, I’ve always had the time for him and no one is tougher than Gal.

“I’m one tough dude, but Gal is on another level of toughness. Full respect to him and his family, he’s sailed off into sunset with a win, I wish him nothing but good health and happiness for the rest of his life.”

Zerafa still believes he’ll land a fight against Tim Tszyu, despite the super-welterweight title contender saying earlier this week he’d never offer Zerafa another opportunity following his last-minute withdrawal from their planned bout last year.

“Tim Tszyu, he’ll bring the best out of me,” Zerafa said.

“Credit to Creati, but he was a couple of levels below me, and I dropped to his level.”