Boxing: Paul Gallen goes out a winner with victory over Justin Hodges

Paul Gallen trades punches with Justin Hodges during their heavyweight fight. Photo / Getty

Paul Gallen has bowed out of his 22-year career as a winner, defeating Justin Hodges in a unanimous decision in Sydney.

The co-main event saw the former footy stars slug it out in six, two-and-a-half minute rounds to decide their feud once and for all.

As much as Hodges found their last fight controversial, there was no denying Gallen was the superior fighter in the rematch, nearly blanking his former Origin rival, winning all but one round on all three cards.

Gallen came out the stronger in the first round looking to hurt Hodges with his experience and skill after two Australian heavyweight title fights.

Hodges was trying to land a big right hand but appeared to have improved his jabbing.

The Queenslander almost lost his composure in the second round when the referee called him out for holding, claiming Gallen had punched him in the back of the head.

“He’s saying he’s getting punched in the back of the head - stop holding him and you won’t get punched in the back of the head,” Fenech said.

But Gallen’s class was clear from the outset as he did what he needed to do to go out a winner.

“I wasn’t prepared to take too many risks tonight so I just did what I needed to do, used my jab,” he said. “But I got the win and not too many people get to go out on a victory, especially in boxing so it was good to do it tonight.

“He broke my heart plenty of times Hodgo so it was good to get one back at him but he’s a warrior.

“I’m just glad it’s all over, I’ve had enough. I’m 41 going on 42. All respect to Hodgo, I think 12 months ago I would have won more convincingly but you’ve got to slow down at some stage and it’s hit me now so it’s time to pull the pin.”

Gallen said the pair had a lot of respect for each other and can be friends again after playing together on Kangaroos rugby league tours.

He added it was a fact of life that people get older and he’s not the same fighter he was a year ago.

“I can’t train as hard, I can’t spar as hard, and I can’t fight as hard,” he said. “The only other way out of here is if I come out and someone ices me out cold. I don’t deserve that. I don’t deserve that from someone 15 years younger than me. So I think it’s time to pull the pin.”

It sees Gallen go out with a 15-2-1 record with the two losses coming against Justis Huni and Kris Terzievski, both for the Australian heavyweight title.

It’s been a tremendous second sporting career as Gallen helped prove the platform for many rising Australian boxers.

Hodges agreed he is also done with his sporting career.

“F**k I hate losing,” he said. “I’ll see, I’ve got two young kids to think about and you don’t want to get punched in the head all the time as well.”

The fight was the highlight of the night despite being the co-main event.

Michael Zerafa won his return to Main Event with an uninspiring unanimous points victory over Danilo Creati.

But commentator Paul Kent slammed the lacklustre performance.

“I’ll tell you the problem for Zerafa will be for the potential Gennady Golovkin fight, it’s not that Golovkin won’t want to fight, it’s whether Golovkin thinks he can make money out of fighting him,” Kent said. “That’s going to be the issue.

“Golovkin’s going to have seen nothing in that performance that’s going to make him go ‘I better be careful with this guy’.

“What he’s going to see in that performance is ‘how do I sell this fight?’”