NSW Origin rugby league captain Paul Gallen has made it two wins from as many professional fights after a dislocated shoulder forced an anti-climactic first-round end to his heavyweight bout with former Cronulla Sharks teammate Anthony Watts.
The bout at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday night lasted 88 seconds before referee Mick Heafey called it off because Watts was unable to continue.
Gallen, 33, landed the first few blows of the bout but then got caught by a good shot from Watts, who won his only previous pro boxing match in 29 seconds.
Gallen quickly reasserted himself and tagged Watts with some shots.
Both men threw more punches before Watts, who was only released on bail from prison 16 weeks ago after spending three months behind bars following his role in a Queensland bikie brawl, pulled away in obvious distress.
“We ripped in for a minute,” Gallen said.
“He did get me with a good shot.”
Gallen who was in hospital last week after he contracted a golden staph infection in his groin, said he felt good despite the setback to his preparations.
“I was relaxed the whole time (during the fight), I felt fine.” Gallen said.
He said he wanted to have another fight early next year before the start of the 2015 NRL season.
Queensland cruiserweight Mark Flanagan and Victorian super middleweight Jake Carr each retained their respective national titles with a unanimous points win over a NSW challenger.
Flanagan overcame Shane Quinn on the way to retaining his strap, while Carr shaded previously unbeaten Renold Quinlan in a fight featuring plenty of exciting inside exchanges.
up up cronulla
Guest
Gallen was filthy as well, and he has been quoted as saying that he is a novice who would struggle against a real boxer, watts talked smack and couldnt produce and gal wanted to give the crowd what they paid for , anyway boxing is dying as the sideshow had more interest than the main event!
macca
Guest
all my point was would a american fight card that was being billed as a 12 rounder be cut short after 10 only to save a man by his manager from getting knocked out on main event tv? it stinks so does last nights fight thats all im saying sbw fights have never been more worthy of what we saw last night multiple rounds or not its the fact it was rigged if he had of won far an square then great but it is the same stink that was being talked about here the morning after that fight as the smell it is now its a joke i said it was entertainment stuff so why do people expect more surely ppl have learnt this from the past .88 seconds or ten rounds the fans still went home filthy and unhappy
mushi
Roar Guru
Also why does 10 rounds not qualify for being multiple rounds? I wasn’t arguing his overall fighting credentials just suggesting throwing him into the 88 second brawl category was disingenuous
mushi
Roar Guru
Yep no one has ever accused a US fight of being rigged in the history of boxing
macca
Guest
no sonny had fights with fat unfit people who never had fights an we all no how fit sonny is so who,s gunna win? and my main reason i mentioned sbw is the botha fight (his last fight) qld is the only state with no boxing commision the fight was for the nz title it was advertised 12 rounds ,sonny was out on his feet at the end of the tenth round then sonnys promoter nasser called it off an made it a 10 round fight ,sonny got the win on points but if it went 2 more rounds like it was ment to sonny would be knocked out for sure the way it was looking ,can u imagen that happening in america ? boxing is rigged here and history proves that
mushi
Roar Guru
To be fair SBW went multiple rounds right - this was just two guys in a fists only street fight not boxing.
Maverick
Guest
As long as they make a quick buck right? Ugh
josso
Guest
I have a quite a few mates that couldnt care less about boxing who bought tickets for last night. I didnt care enough to go, but still this is the only boxing article i think i have read in my time on the roar. Definitely draws the league fans in.
macca
Guest
g,day mantis ,sadly yes it became this along time ago,look at the sonny bill fights look at the green briggs fight as long as it sells an makes money then thats good enough for the promoter if the promoter was going to pay great fighters the money they deserve then the undercard would be great but its all money he would rather pay people like gallen an watts an average wage and the sporting public no who these blokes are so there interested and pay to see it now these people are causal sporting fans not boxing fans this isnt boxing its entertainment kinda like the wwe
Mantis
Roar Guru
I am by no means a boxing aficionado, but is two thugs, one fresh out of jail and the other fresh off a 'drugs ban', throwing haymakers at each other from the opening bell really what boxing has become? No thanks.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Watts. Just pathetic. Feel sorry for Gallen