Hodges to knock ‘some sense’ into Lodge
JUSTIN Hodges has launched a stinging attack on Matt Lodge and vowed to knock him out as the Broncos legend prepares to rain on Paul Gallen’s farewell-fight parade on Wednesday night.
Hodges is gunning to gatecrash the retiring Gallen’s boxing party when the former Origin rivals square off again in their rematch at Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre.
While 41-year-old Gallen (14-2-1, 8KO) is adamant his remarkable 20-year sporting career is over after this, his 18th professional fight, Hodges has declared he will box on – and he wants to bash Lodge.
Buoyed by dropping the
NSW Origin great in their first bout, only to eventually be stopped himself at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena, Hodges is plotting a one-two punch by finishing off Gallen, then hunting down Lodge. Hodges (5-2, 2KO) remains incensed that Lodge was in negotiations with promoters No Limit to fight Gallen, a scenario that would have torpedoed his planned shot at revenge.
Hodges and Lodge are members of the Broncos NRL family, having played a combined 258 games for the club, but the former Brisbane skipper said he wanted to teach the controversial prop a boxing lesson.
“When I read that Lodge wanted to fight Gallen, I was filthy,” Hodges said.
“‘Gal’ and I had made a deal to rematch straight away in the ring on the night, but then I read Lodge was sniffing around and trying to weasel his way into getting this fight. “I was pissed off. I’ve had to do it the hard way.
“Nothing was ever given to me; I’ve worked and fought my butt off to be in this position.
“Lodge has done nothing to deserve a shot like this, let alone the payday.”
Lodge made his Broncos debut in 2018, three years after Hodges’ retirement in the 2015 grand final, amassing 65 games for the club before being moved on by Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.
“We all know why ‘Kevvie’ flicked him from the Broncos,” Hodges said.
“Plenty of people would love to smack some sense into him, but I’m in a position where I can get paid to do it.”