Sonny Bill Williams and Paul Gallen go head to head in a verbal clash at a Sydney press conference ahead of their Wednesday night boxing match. Video / Alyse Wright
The ability to close the distance is a key attribute in boxing.
So for all the verbal jabs from afar between Sonny Bill Williams and Paul Gallen over the best part of a decade, their press conference ahead of Wednesday night’s bout in Sydney presented a rarity – the twoformer rugby league stalwarts in the same room and with an opportunity to trade their best blows face-to-face.
What came of it initially was clear restraint from either fighter in not landing their biggest hook two days out from their fight.
Both showed their hand as seasoned boxers by acknowledging that the trash talk was all part of the combat space, with neither sporting scars from the verbal tirades.
Sonny Bill Williams: "I don't look at this as a boxing event, I look at this as a scrap." Photo / Alyse Wright
But ever one to make a situation a dog fight, it was Gallen, the former New South Wales skipper, who took the initiative with one last attempt to get under his opponent’s skin.
The former NRL Premiership-winning captain with the Cronulla Sharks searched for any open wounds, from poking fun at the level of competition Williams had faced to twisting the former All Black’s admission of past recreational drug use.
“There’s a difference between performance-enhancing drugs and drugs for personal use,” Williams said.
“Unfortunately for you, there’s not,” Gallen responded, “If they’re found in your system, they’re classed as performance-enhancing drugs. That’s the truth.
“I think we all understand that people use drugs for recreational reasons. You didn’t use them for recreational reasons, you used them to cope with the stress of the game. That’s cheating.”
Paul Gallen: "You're a scumbag, you’re a piece of s***." Photo / Alyse Wright
Gallen’s final attempted swing came in the form of accusations Williams had been taking advantage of small businesses and regarding his community work.
“You earn hundreds of thousands of dollars, you’re worth millions – do you charge people to do food reviews?
“You go to small businesses, you’re supposed to help people in the community, you’re supposed to help them out, but you charge between $2000-$3000 – so I’ve been told.
“You’re a scumbag, you’re a piece of s***.”
Speaking to the media after the press conference, Williams appeared unfazed by Gallen’s words.
“I thought he was going to be a bit more colourful, a bit more chirpier. We kind of got going towards the end there, but I didn’t really care what he was going to say today, because for me, it’s about Wednesday.”
The former All Black’s bid to take the high road in the lead-up has seemingly had an impact on his ability to engage in a war of words with Gallen, swatting away his foe’s taunts and letting the New South Welshman run his mouth.
“Boxing isn’t my life, rugby isn’t my life. I’m my own person, I’m my own man and I strive to do things and live through purpose and improvement and walk that type of path. So this doesn’t come easy to me, talking smack about someone – so I’ve tried to stick with factual points.”
Williams is happy to take the verbal blows, knowing that he’ll be “laser-focused” in the ring on Wednesday.
“The common denominator with all of his fights is it’s been personal, and it’s been about him, where the fighters that he’s come up against have said this and they’ve made it personal and done that and ‘how dare they say that?’ and I’m just another guy.
“I don’t look at this as a boxing event, I look at this as a scrap.”
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Wednesday, July 16
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Elijah Fa’afiu travelled to Sydney with assistance from Manuka Phuel and Duco Events.
