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Justin Hodges insists he was robbed $1M in Paul Gallen footy fight – as Sharks legend reveals why he feared their fight would be called off just before it started
- Former NRL star Justin Hodges insists he was ripped off in his fight with Paul Gallen
- Referee Tony Kettlewell stopped the fight, Hodges insists he wasn’t ‘shocked’
- If Hodges or Ben Hannant beat Gallen, they’d be lining up for a $1 million rematch
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Former NRL star Justin Hodges is adamant he was robbed of a $1 million payday in his boxing match with fellow rugby league hard man Paul Gallen.
It comes as the Sharks premiership winning captain feared his second fight on Thursday night would be called off due to a cut under his left eye, delivered courtesy of Ben Hannant.
Former Queensland Origin great Hodges, 40, shocked many at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena when he dropped Gallen – and nearly stopped – in the second round of a pulsating and at times hateful fight.
Hodges was then stopped himself in the third round, but he insisted he was okay to continue when the referee intervened to save him from further punishment.
“I’ve been robbed of that opportunity,” Hodges said of his potential seven-figure collection.
‘I wasn’t hurt. There’s no way in the world I was shaken up. I wasn’t even dazed by any means.
Former NRL star Justin Hodges is adamant he was robbed of a $1 million payday in his boxing match with fellow rugby league hard man Paul Gallen
Gallen had to dig deep when startled by Hodges – he was also accidentally headbutted by Ben Hannant in his first of two fights
Gallen used his left to bend Hodges back over the ropes before nailing him in the second round with an illegal right hand – with Australian boxer Jeff Fenech saying the Queenslander could have won after a disqualification had he chosen to stay down
“I was against the ropes, got hit twice, but it went well. ‘Yes, we were both devastated. Both throw punches.
“But it was only a few hits that he (Gallen) got me. I was ready to continue.
“I couldn’t believe he (referee Tony Kettlewell) stopped it.”
Hodges revealed that he asked Kettlewell why he stopped the fight. He was told he “seemed ready.”
As part of a pre-fight deal with promoters No Limit Boxing, both Hodges and fellow Queenslander Hannant were offered a $1 million rematch clause if one of them defeated Gallen in the double cup.
Hannant lost in a unanimous decision – but literally left his mark on Gallen.
Hannant (right) was meant to be cannon fodder for the much more experienced Gallen, but he shocked fight fans by going far – and dealing some damage
Gallen landed the heavier and sharper shots but couldn’t knock down the ex-Queensland star, let alone knock him out
Hodges came out with all the guns blazing in Gallen’s second fight and connected with heavy gunfire shortly after the first bell rang – knocking Gallen down with a right hand 45 seconds into the second round
The father of eight accidentally headbutted the former NSW Blues enforcer – and almost saw Gallen pull out of his duel against Hodges.
“It also happened with 20 seconds to go,” Gallen told the Daily Telegraph.
“I went back to my corner, saw blood and thought ‘oh, shit’. When the referee came to check on me, I thought I was split.
Even Justin Hodges later said he saw it on a TV in his dressing room and started stressing that our fight was not going to work. I was also stressed.’
But as he so often did in his rugby career with Cronulla, NSW and Australia – and in recent years as a prizefighter boxer, Gallen dug deep and prepared to give it his all again.
His best buddy Scotty Hogan urged him to “find something” in between fights – and the 41-year-old responded heroically.
He didn’t expect to be startled by a blow from Hodges that sent him crawling on all fours – but Gallen hates losing and that prompted him to rise from the canvas.
In the end, Gallen did just enough to take another win – but with Father Time knocking on his door, his next fight will likely be his last.