Gallen in disbelief over fight's sudden wipe-out

3 years ago 441

Paul Gallen was getting a massage this day erstwhile helium heard his mobile telephone "buzzing similar crazy" and wondered what was going on.

The rugby league fable soon learned his boxing lucifer against Josh Aloiai had been dramatically postponed owed to the Manly prima investigating affirmative to COVID-19.

The brace were scheduled to measurement into the ringing successful Newcastle connected December 10, the large drawcard of a two-day boxing lawsuit organised by No Limit Boxing.

Gallen and Aloiai had been bickering for months astir the magnitude of their bout, and yet settled connected 8 two-minute rounds, though Gallen wanted to combat three-minute rounds.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports aft learning the news, Gallen was inactive coming to grips with the information the combat whitethorn present not hap astatine all.

"Pretty disappointing. I don't truly cognize what to marque of it to beryllium honest, trying to get my caput astir it," Gallen said.

"I've been told BJ Leilua besides has COVID... I've been told some of them aren't sick, and BJ is saying he's saccharine to fight. That's wherefore they postponed the event, successful the anticipation Josh besides says he's saccharine to fight.

Paul Gallen and Josh Aloiai reason implicit combat rounds

"I conscionable got disconnected the telephone to Matt Rose and Matt is acrophobic that Josh doesn't privation it. That's what his interest is. I don't cognize what to marque of it, I don't cognize what to think.

"Matt is acrophobic Manly volition present measurement successful and accidental (Aloiai) can't bash it, which means Josh fundamentally saves look due to the fact that Manly propulsion him out.

"This is second-hand information, it's what Matt's told me. I judge him, I person nary crushed not to judge him."

Rose - the look of No Limit - told Gallen the lawsuit volition beryllium postponed to December 22, though the connection sent to media did not specify a caller date.

Fellow rugby league prima Leilua was owed to combat Chris Heighington connected the aforesaid card, but reports accidental helium besides tested affirmative to COVID-19 aft sparring with Aloiai connected Monday.

Gallen present faces missing retired connected a large payday. He says helium is prepared to combat idiosyncratic else, but that determination volition beryllium near up to Rose and No Limit.

"Not overmuch I tin do. If I don't fight, if you don't work, you don't get paid. That's the mode it is," helium said.

"It doesn't substance each the grooming you do, each the months starring up to it.

"I person nary uncertainty I'll person each antheral and his canine jumping up and down saying 'I'll combat him'... but astatine the extremity of the time it's Matt Rose's decision. He is the numbers man, he's the 1 who decides if the combat tin spell ahead.

"As I said from time 1 I'm a prize fighter, and if it doesn't marque consciousness to Matt arsenic acold arsenic the numbers spell (then) it won't happen.

"I privation to fight, I've prepared for the past 2 months, truthful I'd beryllium prepared to without a doubt. But it's got to travel to maine from Matt.

"I can't spell to Matt and accidental I privation to combat Joe Blow down the road, helium volition accidental 'mate it doesn't sell, nary 1 knows who helium is'. It each comes down to the numbers, and Matt is an adept astatine that, that's wherefore helium is the promoter."

Gallen has been grooming to highest connected December 10 but indispensable present change his schedule.

"At the infinitesimal I don't know. I'll astir apt person the remainder of this week disconnected to beryllium honorable and measurement up what happens successful the adjacent fewer days.

"It's not going to beryllium connected the 10th now... there's astatine slightest different 12 days there."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!