GAL’S BELL IS RUNG
JUSTIS Huni’s camp will urge Paul Gallen to not exercise his rematch clause for the rugby league legend’s own health in an effort to line up a blockbuster clash with Junior Fa on a Townsville card that will feature NRL stars Jason Taumalolo, Brandon Smith, Junior Paulo and Addin Fonua-Blake.
And Taumalolo has indicated he’s keen to follow in Gallen’s footsteps and take up boxing at the end of his NRL career.
Gallen has the right to claim a rematch after Huni’s Tokyo Olympic campaign but given the punishment Gallen endured in his 10-round TKO
loss on Wednesday, Huni’s promoter Dean Lonergan will advise the former Sharks premiership captain not to tangle with Huni again.
“We will honour our contract with Gal if he wants to go again but all he’s going to do is get hurt,” Lonergan said.
“He took a massive battering on Wednesday night and I personally don’t want to see him go through that again because I have immense respect for the guy and I like him.
“He might want to fight again but under no circumstances should he fight Justis Huni again because the beating will be worse.”
Assuming he comes through the Olympics unscathed, Huni is being lined
up to face New Zealand’s Fa in October in a bout that could propel the 22-year-old onto the world stage.
A respected heavyweight contender, Fa is 19-1 with his only defeat coming via decision to Joseph Parker earlier this year.
“If Junior Fa had won that fight he would have been the number two ranked heavyweight in the world with the IBF and the IBO, because that’s where Parker sits,” Lonergan said.
“Rocky Huni is massively keen on that particular fight, he’s wanted it for a long time, and it would be a massive step up for Justis but that would launch us internationally into the big time.
“They (Fa’s camp) are keen as mustard for the fight, it’s just a case of reaching a deal.”
Smith, Fonua-Blake and Paulo will add tremendous star power and crossover appeal to the card and it could be the start of Taumalolo following a similar path to Gallen into the world of heavyweight boxing.
The Tongan superstar is one of rugby league’s greatest ever athletes and could make a fearsome sight in the ring.
“They’ve signed contracts for October before the Rugby League World Cup and we’ve got a whole lot more coming,” Lonergan said.
“I’ve got no doubt rugby league players up and down
the country are seeing Gal and thinking ‘If he can make seven figures I can do that too’. Gal blazed a trail.”
Lonergan has pledged to put the health and safety of the NRL stars first, employing cutting-edge technology to ensure the risks of concussions are minimised.
“Peter V’landy’s came out this morning and said he doesn’t want footy players fighting after the hiding Gallen got the other day,” Lonergan said.
“I can understand his concerns around rugby league players boxing, but we engage world-leading technology that tells us if guys are concussed or not as opposed to what they’re doing.”