Gallen: Boxing helps my temper

Paul Gallen says adding boxing sessions to his NRL pre-season regime has helped him keep a “cool head”.

Respected trainer Graham Shaw, the man behind Daniel Geale’s world title success, has been preparing the Cronulla skipper for Saturday’s bout against mixed martial arts specialist Randall Rayment, as part of the Footy Show’s Fight Night in Sydney on Saturday.

The clash falls five weeks out from the 2015 NRL season, and just a fortnight shy of the NRL All Stars match in which Gallen is expected to play.

The NSW State of Origin captain said he hadn’t missed a single field session with the Sharks this pre-season, having returned from a doping ban late last year.

“Part of the deal with the club was that I had to fulfil all the commitments to the club’s training sessions,” Gallen said.

“Obviously doing that during the day and then going to do boxing at night, it puts an extra session most days for me, so my fitness is really good at the moment.

“I’m probably two or three kilos lighter than I would play at, so that’s probably something I’ve got to address once this is over but I can do that quite easily.”

Aside from helping with his physical transformation, Shaw has also helped Gallen with breathing.

“That’s something that Graham’s been teaching me from day one, ever since I did my first session with him 12 months ago,” he said.

“It’s all about breathing and staying relaxed, and that’s what’s we’ve been working on. So I’m keeping a cool head.”