Jeff Fenech fears the famed chin of Cronulla premiership hero Paul Gallen has gone – or is at least now weakened enough to see him kayoed for the first time in 23 years as a professional athlete.
In what would rate among the greatest Australian boxing upsets of recent times, Fenech is tipping Gallen to be knocked out by arch rival Justin Hodges in his hyped Sydney farewell next Wednesday night.
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Despite having commentated some of the crossover star’s greatest wins – and even now, still calling Gallen “a warrior” – Fenech fears the 41-year-old has carried his career one fight too many.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, the four-time world champion tipped Hodges, who dropped Gallen in their first fight, to now finish the job in their heavyweight rematch.
“Huge upset,” Fenech said when asked for a prediction.
“I think Gal might have taken one fight too many … and I think Justin Hodges knocks him out.”
Pushed on his shock prediction, Fenech suggested Hodges has improved his punching power significantly under trainer Adam Copland – and for proof, pointed to his dropping Gallen in their first fight, which the NSW Origin great eventually won himself via stoppage.
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Yet just as significantly, Fenech added that same moment proved the regression suffered by Gallen, who remains one of the toughest men to ever play rugby league.
Asked if he thought Gallen’s famed chin was going, Fenech said: “Oh, definitely.
“And I can say that from experience.
“You get hit enough, get hurt … there’s nothing can help your chin.
“You can go get yourself a knee replacement but for the chin — there’s nothing.
“And no disrespect to Gal.
“I love the guy. Think he’s an absolute warrior.
“When you look at some of the guys Paul Gallen has beaten, too – wow – you wouldn’t think of putting Justin in against them.
“But it’s all about timing.
“And Gal, he’s not getting any better.
“Every fight he’s losing a little bit.
“So when things happen at the right time, or the wrong time … I think it could spell disaster for Gal.”
Fenech also said the countless sparring wars Gallen has endured privately had also taken a toll.
“When you throw in all the hard sparring he’s done, that hasn’t helped,” the retired champion continued.
“I know if I was training Gal for this last fight, I’d be doing the lightest work possible just to keep him fresh.
“Because the guy is an absolute warrior.
“Everything he does, it’s at 100 mile per hour.
“But there comes a point where you need to go in fresh. And he hasn’t done that.
“Even prior to his most recent fights, when he sparred my heavyweight, he was getting beat up.
“And you don’t need to get beat up before a fight.”
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Should Hodges score an upset KO, it would be the first time Gallen has been iced in a career spanning 32 Tests, 24 Origins, 350 NRL games and 18 heavyweight fights.
Of his previous professional bouts, the Shire product has only been stopped once – in the 10th and final round against Justis Huni.
Yet even then, the end came due to Gallen slipping as he was being punched by the undefeated 23-year-old who has already gone top 15 with the WBO.
Elsewhere, the undeniable Pay-Per-View star has fought some of the biggest names in Aussie boxing – think Huni, Mark Hunt and Lucas Browne – while also sparring countless rounds against virtually every national heavyweight of note.
While Hodges is nowhere near the level of the greatest fighters on his resume, Fenech says the two-time NRL premiership star has improved enough to beat Gallen.
“And I think he does, yeah,” he said.
“I know when Justin dropped Gal in that first fight, he got enormous confidence from that.
“And if he just slows down a little bit, brings Gal onto his punches, he can definitely knock him out.
“I know in his head, he has that vision.
“That’s a huge thing.
“For the first fight, Hodgo was there for the money, I’m sure.
“But now, having dropped him, he really believes he can win.
“And you can see in his performances, he’s got much better.
“I’m tipping a big upset.”
