Gallen Defeats Williams in a Fight That Didn’t Meet Expectations
In a highly anticipated showdown in Sydney, Paul Gallen took the victory over his former rugby league rival, Sonny Bill Williams, in a split decision by points that generated controversy. Despite the expectation, the fight did not meet the high expectations generated. Two judges scored the fight 77-74 and 76-75 in favor of Gallen, while a third judge gave the victory to Williams with a score of 77-74. The fight, held at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, was relatively moderate, considering the intense verbal rivalry that had preceded the event.
Gallen added: “I got the victory. That’s all that matters and it will be there forever.”I definitely lost a round, I think the second one and there was another pretty close and they took a point away, so, how the hell is he winning (on a judge’s card)?”
Gallen
“Sonny just came to me and said he wanted to have a face-to-face coffee and I agree with that. I’m done with my fights, I’m making my life. I’m not going to gloat, it’s taken a long time to get here. I did the work and that’s all that matters,” added Gallen, also revealing that he contracted COVID two weeks before the fight. In the preliminary event, world-ranked Kris Terzievski moved closer to a world bridgerweight title opportunity by retaining his two regional titles with a sixth-round stoppage against Troy Pilcher of the Gold Coast, New Zealand. Terzievski (14-1-2, 11 KOs) knocked down Pilcher (10-2-1, 8 KOs) with a body shot in the fifth round and referee Fear stopped the fight after two more knockdowns in the sixth. Previously, two children of famous parents secured quick victories on the preliminary card. With his father and former world champion Antony Mundine in his corner, 25-year-old super middleweight Rahim Mundine (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5-1, 1 KO) in the second round. Heavyweight Alex Leapai Jr. improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs), with a first-round knockout over Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs). Leapai’s father, also named Alex, was unsuccessful in his challenge to former IBF, FIB and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Another winner on the preliminary card was New Zealander David Nyika, who rebounded from his loss to IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia with a fifth-round stoppage of fellow Kiwi Nik Charalampous.I’ll be 44 in less than a month.
Gallen
