Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams meet in the boxing ring, but does it matter if it doesn't mean anything?
Even if the fight in question is covered by the thin veneer of respectability provided by a boxing ring and gloves, there is still little to be pleased about.
Footballers-turned-boxers Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams will lace up the gloves and meet in a heavyweight bout in Sydney's Olympic Park on Wednesday.
The two ex-NRL forwards will fight over eight, 2-minute rounds and — hopefully — put an end to one of the least dignified feuds in Australian sport.
Aside from settling their post-football career rivalry, it's hard to know what is at stake in this bout.
Perhaps pride? Most certainly ego. Financial incentives? That goes without saying.
Perhaps it doesn't need to be anything more than that.
As boxing continues to evolve and find its way in an era where the long-term impacts of repeated head knocks are becoming all the more apparent and audience tastes are changing from the sport's mid-century heyday, non-title fights are becoming more and more prevalent.
Whether it's Jake Paul selling out massive arenas stateside, or Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr meeting at a catchweight despite their vast size differential to satisfy Britain's lust for another instalment of the legendary battles between their respective fathers, boxing is changing.
And to those publicising the fights, that doesn't matter.
If you've watched any sporting event covered by Channel Nine over the last couple of weeks, you'd know this fight is taking place.
Particularly jarring was the interview that took place in the aftermath of Queensland's State of Origin Game III victory over New South Wales a week ago, when viewers were subject to the insalubrious exhibition of a pitch-side Gallen and Williams via video link bellowing insults over each other.
Of course, Nine has to promote its own content and doing so to its target audience of football fans is entirely sensible.
It's not the act of promotion that's the issue here. It's what's being sold.
The juxtaposition between analysis of a genuine sporting triumph and promoting this contest between two aged warriors felt very off.
But this fight is grabbing attention across the networks — Fox Sport mentions it when publicising Sunday's rematch between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu.
"Forget the sideshow," Matt Nable, another footy player who has embraced a new performative career now his playing days are done, drawls.
"This ain't two old footy players cashing cheques long after their careers ended," he continues — a puzzling and somewhat hypocritical dig given the success the network enjoyed when Gallen was beating up his fellow NRL retirees on its own pay-per-view channel over the years.
This is not to criticise the two men for their willingness to get into the ring.
Anyone with the courage to step inside the squared circle, arguably the least forgiving arena in all ot sport, deserves admiration and respect — to a point.
Neither Gallen nor Williams comes into this as desperate wannabes, misguidedly believing themselves capable of dancing on the canvas having shadow-boxed in front of the bathroom mirror and watched the Rocky movies a couple of times.
Gallen has fought 18 times in his ring career for a record of 15-2-1 (8KOs).
Admittedly, there has been a heady whiff of farce about some of those opponents, but Gallen has never once taken anyone lightly, bringing the same determination and professionalism to the ring that characterised his professional football career.
And in amongst the Darcy Lussick's, Ben Hannant's and Justin Hodges's — who he inexplicably fought twice — on his resume, he has also stood up against some of Australia's best.
Justis Huni and Kris Terzievski both may have beaten Gallen in their Australian heavyweight title bouts, but Gallen did better than most have against genuine prospects.
And even while Gallen was fighting other ex-footballers, he used the interest generated by him fighting to help promote other Australian fighters and give them sizeable paydays.
Boxers like Tim and Nikita Tszyu, Harry Garside and Huni all benefited from Gallen's profile with inflated purses and prize money on pay-per-views across the country.
This fight card sees recognised fighters David Nyika and Terzievski fight, as well as young prospects Alex Leapai Jnr and Rahim Mundine, who will all doubtless benefit from the exposure a Gallen fight will bring.
For that alone, Gallen deserves an awful lot of credit — although his ring career has earned him $25 million to date, according to the man himself, so he has been well rewarded.
Williams too has pedigree of sorts in the ring.
His grandfather, Bill Woolsey, was a New Zealand heavyweight champion and Williams emulated him by claiming that same title in a knockout victory over Clarence Tillman in 2012.
That was Williams's fifth pro fight and he followed that up with wins against veterans Frans Botha and Chauncy Welliver before stepping away from the ring between 2015 and 2021.
When Williams returned to boxing, he fought Waikato Falefehi and Barry Hall for wins, before a knockout defeat against Mark Hunt, his first in the ring, to leave the New Zealand dual-code international with a pro record of 9-1 (4KOs).
So, if these are two professional boxers getting in the ring, having talked about the fight taking place desperately for years, what's the problem?
Their age doesn't help. Paul Gallen will be 44 years old in under a month. Sonny Bill Williams is 40.
Both men have been out of the ring for two-and-a-half years.
Is that even an obstacle? Co-headliner in Tszyu's fight on the weekend, Manny Pacquiao, is 46, hasn't fought anyone since 2021 and hasn't won a fight since 2019 — he is meeting Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on Sunday in Las Vegas.
If that makes you feel uneasy, it probably should.
Studies show that the impacts of concussions linger for longer and are more severe as people age.
Other impacts of aging — reduced reaction time, increasing fatigue and muscle weakness — all combine to make the ring even more dangerous as you get older than it is for younger fighters.
Mike Tyson's hideous parody of a return to the ring aged 58 against Jake Paul should be a lesson to us all of the dangers of going on too long.
OK, so if the age thing isn't an issue, is it because these two are not "the best" boxers in the traditional sense — Williams admitted as much at the press conference on Monday — but celebrities risking their health for a suggested $1 million payday?
That might be it, just as people have issues with YouTuber Paul and his improbable quest for a world title shot.
Boxing fans can hardly clutch at their pearls if that is the issue.
Both Gallen and Paul, love or loathe them, have contributed and continue to contribute to the development of the sport by adding casual eyeballs to their events — Paul promotes Amanda Serrano through his promotion company and allows the seven-weight world champion from Puerto Rico to actually earn something approaching a decent wage from the sport.
Perhaps it is the nauseating back and forth that has been seemingly going on for years — all around them maybe or maybe not meeting in a ring.
Maybe, with no clear villain or outright good guy to root for or against, fans are simply conflicted.
Let's not forget that, despite being rival players on the pitch several times over the years in the NRL and in international rugby league, there was never any genuine beef between them as players.
Perhaps if there had been, we'd have been spared this unedifying spectacle.
So, why are they fighting in the first place?
Tickets at the Arena in Homebush range from $1,495 to $49. The pay-per-view on Stan Sport is $70.
As of Tuesday, the tickets are not sold out but they have been selling.
For contrast, the Tszyu vs Fundora world title rematch on Sunday (AEDT) will set fight fans back $69.95 on Main Event — a fight that, from a sporting context, means something.
By that, fight fans will tell you it means a world title, a career-defining moment for Tszyu and Fundora both. A chance for them to add their names to the list of legends in their sport.
What, then, does the Gallen-Williams fight mean?
Perhaps a bigger question is, does it need to mean anything?
"I've never been concerned about legacy," Gallen said.
"I'm trained to fight. I've been here for one reason. To have a go."
The proof will be in how many people tune in to watch it.
But whether people do or don't, perhaps the only error is trying to read anything more into this bout than it being a chance for two middle-aged men to publicly air their grievances and make a sack full of cash at the same time.
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Sydney Morning Herald
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The same applies to art and literature, as it does to the great and glorious game of rugby league. So don't forget that Michelangelo was busy sculpting another Pieta days before he died in 1564. And what happened two months later? Shakespeare was born.
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an hour ago
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Slater was better than anyone during this period and even earlier, back to any fullback not named Clive Churchill or Graeme Langlands – both of whom are rugby league Immortals. One test of greatness is whether the player's dominance led to a rule change, and Billy the Kid did. Opposition teams were so worried about his ability to return the ball from kicks that they booted it past him. So, the rule-makers introduced a seven-tackle set from the 20-metre mark to punish kicks crossing the dead ball line. Slater sliced through defences with such ease it seemed as if he had a contortionist's body and a cat burglar's feet. He sophisticated the role of organising the defence. Plus he played 311 NRL games – nearly 50 more than the next best No 1, James Tedesco, who, admittedly, ain't finished yet. Wingers Brian To'o. The winger's role has changed dramatically over the past quarter-century, from try-scoring to metre-eating. The Penrith winger can do both, plus play both sides of the field in an era when junior coaches bracket backs as left or right. 'Bizza', as he is nicknamed, is certainly busy, making more metres than men nearly twice his size. He plays as if building a flat stretch of highway. When he returned to the Panthers side after an injury, one commentator quipped that Penrith had acquired another front-rower. He was NSW's best player in the second and third matches of the recent Origin series despite playing on one leg. He has tallied 125 NRL games since starting in 2019, putting him on track to equal the Roosters' Daniel Tupou, who started seven years earlier and is currently on 280 games. Brett Morris. An NRL decision in 2010 to remove the corner post from the field of play has revolutionised the wing position, with fans treated to acrobatic feats such as Xavier Coates's gyration through the air for a last-second try in 2024. Wingers now need only to avoid the sideline markings. The son of Steve 'Slippery' Morris – himself a top winger – played from 2006-21 but was a strong finisher, irrespective of the corner post. He won premierships with two clubs, the Dragons in 2010 and the Roosters in 2019, playing 215 NRL games and is near the top of the all-time try scorers list. Centres Greg Inglis. Big, strong, agile and fast, he was so dominant over a period when the Storm had two other selections in this quarter-century team that coaches were tempted to ask him not to eat fish in case a bone caught in his throat, or shower without a rubber foot mat, or walk under ladders. He had a remarkably quick-play-the ball for such a tall player. He grew up in Bowraville, NSW, but Queensland claimed him for Origin – possibly because his fend was so powerful that they assumed he came from Palm Island. Mark Gasnier. He was a nightmare for defences with his speed, step and one-handed offload. He played on the right-hand side of the field with the Dragons so would complement GI, whose powerful fend made him a left-side player. Gasnier, a 2010 premiership player, was also chosen in the Dragons' Team of the Century, joining his uncle, Reg, an Immortal. Five-eighth Darren Lockyer: He won three NRL grand finals as a fullback before the turn of the century and only one as a five-eighth afterwards, but he's still good enough to make my team as a No.6. He did not have a top halfback at the Broncos after the retirement of Alf Langer, yet still took command of a game. An outstanding leader, he was at the top for Queensland and Australia during a 16-year career in which he was also a dead-eyed goalkicker. He was the definition of a clutch player, scoring a late try in the 2006 Origin series that began Queensland's run of eight successive series. He played in the first six. If you don't like Lockyer, you've got a choice of Kieran Foran, Braith Anasta, James Maloney or Benji Marshall, all of whose careers began after 2000. Cameron Munster's time will come. Halfback Andrew 'Joey' Johns: Only half the eighth Immortal's career was played after 2000, yet he did enough in that period to win the key position in my quarter-century team. He won grand finals either side of the cut-off date in his 1993-2007 career and came out of representative retirement to win an Origin decider almost single-handedly in Brisbane in 2004. An honourable mention must go to Nathan Cleary whose 18 minutes of magic in the 2023 NRL grand final is unsurpassed. However, Cooper Cronk is my second choice. He is No.2 on the number of games (339) behind Daly Cherry-Evans; won six grand finals at two clubs and his absence with a broken arm from the 2014 Queensland team helped NSW end the Maroons' run of eight consecutive victories. Lock Isaah Yeo. The No.13 is now a middle player who can link the ball. The revolution began with Jake Trbojevic, and now the Penrith co-captain owns the position. When Michael Maguire selected his 2024 NSW team, he had Yeo on the bench, justifying it to me on the basis that the tall Yeo had a slow play-the-ball. That's like criticising a supermodel for having a bent toe. If you prefer granite toughness, Paul Gallen (248 NRL games) is your man; if you want a lightweight under-the-ball defender, it's Dallas Johnson. Second row Sonny Bill Williams. He won premierships at two clubs nine years apart, with an interregnum in the All Blacks where he played at centre in Tests. He came back to the NRL when coaches were far more attack-minded than now. Today's 'edge forwards' are primarily defensive players with the task of shutting down the opposition halfback. The Storm's Eli Katoa, with his leap for high balls on the last tackle, seemingly as if he has eyes in the back of his head, offers hope coaches are liberating these players to vary their attack. Sonny Bill was as unstoppable as wrinkles. To say he bothered opponents is like calling a shark in the bathtub a nuisance, with coaches committing extra tacklers to him to try and stop his offloads. He rarely mis-timed with his shoulder charges, which were eventually banned. He was the best defensive back-rower of his era, owning the right edge of the field, but also played a mobile role in attack. He also played the full 80 minutes. It's an indictment on today's straitjacket game that there is no role for a Sonny Bill or a Steve Menzies, whose best football was before 2000. Sam Burgess. The English international is closer to today's edge back-rower elite, such as Liam Martin and Angus Crichton, than the Sonny Bill/'Beaver' Menzies type. He was inspirational, impactful, tough, highly competitive, with the ability to offload and carry the ball forward like a middle player. The 2014 grand final was his finest moment, inspiring his teammates John Sattler-style after fracturing his cheekbone in the opening tackle. Hooker Cameron Smith. No arguments, please. OK, he didn't have to win the ball in scrums, but neither did any of his opponents. He set so many records – for NRL games played, wins, representative games, goals kicked in his position – that 'The Accountant' is the record holder for records broken. He could think his way past defenders, slowing the game down or speeding it up like no-one has done before. He played 408 NRL games during an 18-year period for one club and was as dedicated to the game at the end as much as he was at the beginning. The joy he expressed when scampering to the posts for a rare try was akin to a five-year-old racing to the tree on Christmas morning. Only Danny Buderus, who played half as many NRL games, comes close to him. Props Jared Waerea-Hargreaves: Ask any Kangaroo forward from the 1980s who they would like in the front row and they will nominate this grizzled veteran. The last of the true enforcers, he was willing to wear the black hat, intimidating opponents and inspiring teammates. His chest-out bravado was matched by the metres he made and tackles he executed. He played 255 NRL games, behind Petero Civoniceva (259) and Jesse Bromwich (316). Payne Haas. The prototype of the modern middle. A big, skilful player with a high work rate in defence, he has better footwork and offload ability than JWH. He has some of Sonny Bill's skills inside a giant's body. Importantly, he can play 80 minutes when many middles leave the field after 20. His pain tolerance is off the charts. Bench Johnathan Thurston. Who can forget his heroics in the Cowboys' 2015 grand final victory, speeding through the Broncos in the final seconds as if riding a minibike through a herd of drugged elephants. Like Lockyer, he always knew where to be. Ben Kennedy. I came close to typing in others, but BK was explosive against the unbackable Eels in the first quarter of the 2001 grand final. Jesse Bromwich. Won Player of the Year competitions at the Storm ahead of other Golden Boot winners at the club at the same time. Paul Gallen. Led the Sharks to their inaugural premiership. Achieved a delicate balance between what his coach wanted him to do (carry the ball forward) and what he wanted to do (ball-play and offload). PS. Cameron Munster, Stephen Crichton, Angus Crichton and Nathan Cleary are possibly on the waiting list but another could come along sooner than we think, a player whose brilliance is equal to, say, Joey Johns, or greater in a more nuanced way. The same applies to art and literature, as it does to the great and glorious game of rugby league. So don't forget that Michelangelo was busy sculpting another Pieta days before he died in 1564. And what happened two months later? Shakespeare was born.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
MITCHELL JOHNSON: Ben Stokes' warning to India about sledging should not scare Australia ahead of Ashes
There's noise coming out of England again. Apparently, they've decided that sledging is back in fashion. Harry Brook reckons it's fun not being 'nice guys' anymore. Ben Stokes is warning opponents — especially India — that if they dish it out, England will return fire. Good on them. But here's a bit of advice: be careful what you wish for. Ashes series are about mental edge, sure. There's always been chatter, always will be. But sledging without substance is like bowling bouncers with no pace — the batter just laughs at it. Right now, England sound like they're trying to sound intimidating rather than being intimidating. Let's not pretend Australia are choirboys. I had plenty to say when I played — and copped plenty back. But that came with purpose. Sledging only works when you're dominating. And to be honest, right now England aren't. They haven't won an Ashes series since in Australia since 2010-11. They still don't know what their best top six is. Their Bazball model has some punch, but it's flimsy when conditions swing or spin. So maybe talking tough is a cover. A bit of theatre while they figure out the actual cricket. Here's what England need to remember: the Ashes aren't won at press conferences. They're won in the heat. When the new ball is jagging around at the Gabba. When a Mitchell Starc inswinger nips past your front pad before you've even had a look. When a bloke like Josh Hazlewood bowls 25 overs on the same spot and you can't breathe. That's when the real battle starts, not in the media, not on social clips, but in those moments when the scoreboard pressure builds and the crowd is roaring. I actually love this from an Aussie point of view. Let England yap. Let them tell the world how hard they're going to be. All it does is give the Australians more fire. Trust me — if you try to poke the bear on our home turf, you'd better have the game to back it up. Because when the words dry up — and they will — it's all about execution. That's where Australia are so strong. Bowlers who do the job no matter the surface. Batters who absorb pressure and make you suffer. Fielders who don't give you an inch. That's real toughness. If England think sledging will rattle this Aussie side, they're living in dreamland. This is a team full of veterans who've seen it all — and young players who grew up in these conditions. You don't need to get personal. You just need to perform. In fact, the most painful thing you can do to a team that's chirping is shut them up with cricket. Silence is the loudest response there is. While Australia might be at their most vulnerable in years with this current batting line-up — a few question marks at the top, the middle still rebuilding — they're still incredibly hard to beat at home. Always have been. Conditions, crowds, our bowlers — they all make life hell for touring teams. Especially ones coming in swinging wildly with the bat and the tongue. Let's not forget what happened last time England came down under. All the chat, all the optimism, then bowled out for 147 in the first innings of the first Test and for just 68 in the Boxing Day Test a couple of weeks later. That was the sound of reality setting in. And no amount of sledging helped them then. I'm not saying Australia are immune to pressure. They're not. This Ashes series could be tight — maybe even a real scrap. But if England think mouthing off is the key to getting on top of us, they've already lost focus. So to England, I say: bring your best. Talk your talk. But when that first ball is bowled in Perth in November, you'll find out quickly what's real and what's just noise. Because in the Ashes, only one thing matters — and it's not the volume.
