Paul Gallen has revealed he was suffering blurred vision after being sensationally dropped by Queensland arch rival Justin Hodges, saying: “I remember being on the ground, on my knees and thinking ‘righto you’re in a fight now … you’d better toughen up’.”
Despite having never been knocked out in over 20 years of NRL and boxing, Gallen has revealed how close he came to being stopped by Hodges in the second round of their wild Brisbane headliner.
“Oh, I was f***ed,” Gallen told Fox Sports Australia of the knock down.
“Hodgo has got such long arms, every time I threw a jab, he just timed it so well. And, yeah, dropped me.
Watch Canelo v GGG 3 LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Sunday 18 September from 10am AEST. ORDER NOW >
“It was a fair one too.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever really been dropped like that.
“In my first professional fight, Herman Purcell dropped me but that wasn’t a concussive drop. I just sort’ve fell back.
“Then against Justis Huni, he dropped me but I slipped. And that’s when the referee called it off.
“And it was the 10th round too, so the official probably was protecting me.
“But with Hodgo, I was down for a second with blurred vision.
“I remember being on the ground, talking to myself.
“On my knees and thinking ‘righto you’re in a fight now … you’d better toughen up’.”
Asked about his incredible recovery, which would eventually see him earn a stoppage of his own in the third round, Gallen continued: “Thankfully I can take a shot.
“Whether that’s good or bad, I’m not sure.
“But (even after regaining his feet) Hodgo came at me again pretty quick. But I got him with a decent shot and put him on his back foot.
“That’s what saved me.”
Gallen revealed that while he is willing to accept a Sydney rematch with Hodges, and over at least six rounds of three minutes, the next fight will definitely be his farewell.
Despite making history by winning two fights in a night, Gallen conceded the bouts against both Hodges and Ben Hannant had taken more from him than he expected.
“I’ve had enough of taking punches,” he said. “I’m ready to finish it.”
While Gallen wasn’t able to come good on his pre-fight promise and finish either rival, he said his trainer Graham Shaw reminded him afterwards what mattered most.
“Obviously I wanted to stop them,” Gallen said. “And as Graham said to me in the sheds afterwards, 12 months ago I would’ve.
“But everybody gets old.
“And we won.
“Graham put that into perspective for me.
“He said ‘we came here to win and we won’.
“Obviously it would’ve been nice to go out there, box their ears off for a few rounds. But they were great, full credit to them.
“It was a whole lot harder than I thought it would be but I’m happy.”
