Paul Gallen has revealed, in detail, his efforts to make an $8 million superfight with Sonny Bill Williams — including a private approach at last year’s NRL grand final — but says his famed arch rival has proved too “dumb” to make it happen.
After years of animosity between the fighting footballers, Gallen has finally confirmed to Fox Sports Australia he will never throw down against SBW – the New Zealand duel international who he initially took up boxing in 2014 to face.
It comes as Williams revealed on Thursday his own next heavyweight bout will be against famed UFC legend Mark Hunt – who, now aged 48, hasn’t fought since Gallen beat him two years ago.
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Apart from questioning how long his fellow Channel Nine commentator will last in the public spotlight – “I think the name Sonny Bill Williams might wear out fairly soon,” Gallen said – the NSW Origin great also revealed the announcement officially ended any hope of the famed arch rivals ever throwing down.
Gallen then went on to explain how it was on grand final day last year when he first explained to Williams not only how his own contract with promoter No Limit Boxing worked, but what was required for the pair to accept what would later be revealed as an $8 million offer from British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
One of the world’s biggest fight promoters, Gallen has since confirmed Hearn offered the two men $4 million each to square off twice this year.
The retired Kangaroo also said it was on grand final day, in a Channel Nine make-up room, where he approached Williams personally in a bid to finally get a bout between the pair agreed to.
“And maybe there was a make-up lady in the room, maybe we were on our own, I can’t remember,” Gallen says.
“But I said ‘Sonny, if we’re going to fight we have to organise it soon because I’m retiring next year.
“And he says ‘what do you mean?’
“I said, ‘mate, I’m turning 41 next year, I’m definitely retiring’.
“I then explained to Sonny while I was contracted with No Limit, I was allowed to fight him so long as it wasn’t within 10 weeks of a No Limit event.
“I then said No Limit had pencilled me in for a fight in December, 2022 – which will be my last — so we needed to get it sorted for at least 10 weeks before then.”
To which Williams said what?
“Sonny says ‘bro, bro, bro’ … he always says bro,” Gallen laughs. “He says ‘bro, it only takes six weeks to get ready for a fight’.
“And I said ‘bro, I’m retiring … do you understand?’
“From that day on I never heard another word.”
Gallen also revealed he spoke with Williams’ agent Khoder Nasser in “either March or April” this year to again explain his contract situation and secure a fight date.
“And I’m not even going into what was said,” says Gallen, who has his own headliner against Queenslanders Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant in Brisbane next Thursday.
“But it was the most arrogant, ridiculous conversation I’ve ever had in my life.”
While Gallen refused to bag Williams’ latest fight – “Mark Hunt will always be a legend of combat sports” – he also predicted the former All Black will still call him out with a win.
“Sonny will come out after this fight and say ‘Ok, Gal let’s go’,” he said.
“That’s how dumb he is.
“After I told him a year ago I can’t fight in the 10 weeks before December.
“And like I said, then I am retiring.
“Because unlike Sonny I can talk. I can think.
“I don’t just say ‘bro’.
“So I do have to watch what I do with my body because I have a media career that I’m going OK with.
“But how long has he got?
“I think the name Sonny Bill Williams might wear out fairly soon”.
Gallen says that despite his approaches to both Williams and then Nasser, he never heard more until only recently when, during Channel Nine coverage of an NRL game, Williams suddenly urged him on air to sign a contract where the split was ‘60/40’ against him.
“I hadn’t heard anything — not a phone call, a text message, nothing — until Sonny gets on television saying ‘sign a 60/40 contract’,” Gallen says.
“I said where is this contract?
“You’d think if there was a contract I would’ve had some correspondence. But there was nothing.
“Then on 100% Footy three days later one of the journos gave it to me about how things got heated and I said ‘mark my words, all Sonny is doing is looking for publicity’.
“The bloke is so dumb, he can’t talk or sell a fight.
“I said I guarantee he will announce a fight in the next month. And what’s happened? He has announced a fight.
“And everyone knows what is going to happen.
“I have been predicting this publicly for a year. It’s obvious.
“He’s trying to take on guys I’ve fought in the past and then beat them better than I have. But he’s taking on Mark two years after I fought him.
“So Sonny will stop Mark Hunt who will then say he’s the best boxer he has ever faced.
“I can see it already. He’s like a book Sonny – easy reading.
“He’s just not that smart.”
