Gal rages over Huni stunt
A FURIOUS Paul Gallen has labelled promoter Dean Lonergan “childish” and guaranteed he would not use a fight poster with the tagline “Termination Day” for his fight against Justis Huni.
Gallen learned of the fight poster on Monday morning — after it was confirmed his bout against Huni will take place at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on June 16 — and the pair exchanged heated words in a phone call.
The poster depicts Huni as The Terminator while Gallen, who is the A-side of the fight with the bigger pay-per-view pull and stands to earn $1.5m for the heavyweight clash, is darkened in the background.
“I can guarantee you this is not the poster we will be using for the fight, it’s ridiculous,” Gallen said.
“He’s trying to pump his client but this bloke does not need a leg up every single time.
“When I first saw it I thought, ‘I don’t care’. But Dean Lonergan has been so difficult to deal with every step of the way, I’m going to dig my heels in and make him change it.
“Why can’t he just be an adult and keep his word? He’s being childish.
“He said I need the money and would fight anywhere, he said I’d fight in Mount Isa with Mal Meninga as the judge, well what happened? We’re fighting in Sydney.
“Just like I won that battle, I will win this one. I’m going to make him change the poster just to be a prick.
“I’m telling you I will win this, just like I won with the venue. If he wants to carry on I’ll cancel the fight.”
But Lonergan did not hold back when asked about Gallen’s stance.
“He’s kidding himself, I’ve been in the promotional business for 25 years, I don’t appreciate the input of a former footballer who has no marketing experience whatsoever,” Lonergan said.
“My job is to promote this fight and make Gallen as much money as he possibly can, so stop your whingeing and let me get on with my job.
“When you coin the marketing phrases for events like this, they must have an element of truth otherwise it doesn’t work. Gallen’s career is going to be terminated on June 16, as will all of his antics and the circus act that is his boxing career.
“When you negotiate a contract with the guy, he is very transparent and tells you exactly what he wants so that is admirable. But then when you talk about the finer points, he moans and whines on a regular basis.
“He bleated like a lamb being slaughtered when we had to find a new venue [after Hordern Pavilion was ruled out], with no consideration of how difficult it is to find a venue that can accommodate an event like this with six weeks’ notice. And now he’s supposedly a marketing genius who knows what we should be putting on promotional posters.
“He may have balls of steel getting into the ring with people he shouldn’t, but while this is a smart financial decision for him, it won’t be good for his health.”
Huni (3-0, 3KO) defends his Australian heavyweight title against No 7 ranked Christian Tsoye on Wednesday, May 26 at the Fox Sports studios in Artarmon and, pending victory, will take on Gallen (11-0-1, 6KO) at the ICC on June 16.