Heavyweight Paul Gallen 11-0-1 (6) has hit out at media outlets that have published video footage of his next opponent Justis Huni 4-0 (3) getting knocked down in sparring.
Australian heavyweight champion Huni, 22, was reportedly sparring with New Zealand cruiserweight Ricky Silva in January when he was clipped by a left hook that sent him down.
At the time Huni was preparing to headline the All Stars Footy Fight Night in Townsville on February 12 but was forced to withdraw due to concussion. Huni had previously hit his head on the ground while wrestling a friend and didn’t reveal the injury to his team ahead of sparring.
Huni has fought twice since then, knocking out Jack Maris in the opening round in April and decisioning Christian Tsoye over 10 in May.
He will defend his national crown against former rugby league star Gallen at the ICC Exhibition Centre in Sydney on Wednesday night.
“I understand boxing and the sparring chat, and I don’t believe sparring stories, but I have seen the footage of that one,” the 39-year-old Gallen said to the Sydney Morning Herald. “There is footage of him being knocked out in 16-ounce gloves. That’s not a story, that is a fact.
“I respect the sport and it would be easy for me to come out and start spraying him about that. But it’s not the right thing to do and I won’t do it.
“I don’t believe what happened is right. I won’t get stuck into him about getting knocked out in sparring. I think what happened as far as sharing that footage is wrong.
“I can tell you that I’ve never been to another boxing gym and not been bashed. So many times you’ve been in someone else’s gym and you get a phone call saying ‘How are you? I heard you got touched up yesterday’.
“It happens every time. I don’t think people should share that footage.”
Gallen shocked many in the boxing world when he took out former WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight titleholder Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne 29-3 (25) in the opening frame in April.
He is planning a similar ambush of Huni.
“To win this fight I need to knock him out,” Gallen said. “I’m not going to be able to outbox him or be faster than him or even more skillful than him. But I’m harder than him and I’ve been told I punch harder than him. I need to knock him out. That’s my plan.”
Gallen, who will be giving up almost six inches in height to Huni, said questions still remain about the durability of the champion’s chin.
“It is possible. He’s been knocked out with 16-ounces [gloves]. I’ve seen it,” he said.
“I’m not going to buy into rumours or stories, but you can see I knocked out a pretty big bloke in my last fight.
“I’ve got the ability to do it and that’s the way I’ve got to win.”