Paul Gallen and Justin Hodges are already fighting ahead of what the footballers-turned-boxers are calling the final bout of their careers.
Gallen has declared six rounds of three minutes is a “non-negotiable”, but Hodges admits he cannot win their rematch under those conditions.
The pair’s first fight was held over four, two-minute rounds and Gallen prevailed in what marked his second win of the night after earlier beating Ben Hannant in a historic double header.
Gallen claims at the end of that bout Hodges agreed to six, three-minute rounds for their rematch – which will take place in Sydney on November 23.
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The Cronulla great has always pushed for three-minute rounds before relenting, but said this time it’s three-minute rounds or the fight is off.
“It’s non-negotiable,” Gallen told foxsports.com.au.
“We shook on it on the night, go back and check the footage, we shook on six three-minute rounds, that’s what boxing is.
“How he can sit there and preach about the respect for boxing that he has and talk about the respect he has for other fighters blah blah blah, but he doesn’t want to fight three-minute rounds?
“Why don’t you have respect for the sport and do it properly.
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“I’ve relinquished before and not done three-minute rounds before, I’ve always blown up about it but always relented but this time I’m not relenting.
“I need confirmation with the authority soon.
“We’re doing it properly or we’re not doing it at all. I want it approved now, if it’s not three-minute rounds, we’re not doing it.”
Hodges isn’t keen on the longer rounds and even conceded he cannot beat Gallen over six, three-minute rounds.
Instead, Maroons great Hodges’ plan is to knock out his former State of Origin rival.
“He wants to fight six threes and that suits him so obviously we’re going to have to come up with an agreement,” Hodges said.
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“Because six threes he’ll win there’s no doubt about that but I’ll go out there and try and throw everything I possibly can and try and knock him out anyway.
“I don’t care if it’s 4X2, 5×2, 6×2… I’m just going to do everything I can, I don’t want it going longer than two or three rounds anyway, it doesn’t matter how many rounds because I’m going to try and put him away early.
“I’m going to hit him as hard as I possibly can, it’s the last fight and I hit him last time and he fell.
“In the last fight I just tried to keep him off me, sat on my back foot and tried to spin away off him and I got him around the back of the head and dropped him and this time I make sure every time I hit him it’s going to be hard.
“I’ve just got to make sure I take it out of the refs hands this time with a knockout, it won’t be a points decision.”
