EXCLUSIVE: A visit to Paul Gallen's old Masonic temple gym led to a surprising Sonny Bill Williams reveal
Updated . First published
It wasn't always like this.
Paul Gallen once had Sonny Bill Williams' New Zealand jersey in his possession, a gesture of mutual respect after a hard-fought tournament and all its blood, sweat and tears.
"The only game I really remember against him was the 2013 World Cup final," Gallen tells Wide World of Sports.
Sonny Bill Willams vs Paul Gallen at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on July 16 is available to order live and exclusive on Stan Pay-Per-View for $70
Paul Gallen after the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final. Getty
"We (Australia) won quite handsomely (34-2), to be honest, and the only reason I really remember it is because we swapped jerseys at the end of the game.
"I gave his jersey to my best mate because he was a Roosters fan. They won the comp that year. I don't know what he did with mine."
Even though they were both star back-rowers for rival Sydney clubs, Gallen says the pair never had much of an issue with each other during their NRL careers.
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The trouble started the year after that World Cup final when Gallen kicked off his professional boxing career by beating Herman Ene-Purcell in Sydney.
By that stage Williams was the WBA international heavyweight champion and paper talk inevitably turned to a dream match-up between the chalk-and-cheese, high-profile pair.
"I remember saying at the time, 'Give me a break, I've had one fight, let me see if I want to keep doing this'," Gallen says.
Paul Gallen during a training session at 43 Kingsway. Getty
"Then he went overseas. It wasn't really until 2018-20 where I said, 'Come on, we've got to do this. I'm going to retire soon, we've got to make this happen'."
Gallen is sweating profusely after bashing the pads with long-time trainer and boxing muse Graham Shaw.
His gym is an old Masonic temple in Cronulla and the old warhorse sits forward on the edge of the boxing ring and shakes his battle-scarred head.
Paul Gallen poses for a photo after a training session at 43 Kingsway. Getty
"Action speaks louder than words. They didn't want to do it, never wanted to do it, but now they've got me as a 43-year-old," Gallen fumes.
Years of sniping through the media and mistrust from failed contract negotiations have built a genuine, simmering resentment between the pair.
Gallen, blessed with an unbelievable engine but not Williams' freakish physique, rates him as a footy rival but then manages to shoot him down in the same breath.
Paul Gallen fights past Sonny Bill Williams, Daniel Holdsworth and Corey Hughes to score. Getty
"You can't question his talent," he says, but there's always a but.
"But you didn't know what you were going to get. He'd have games where he'd set up four tries and score two and he's the best player by far.
"But then he'd go three weeks and do nothing. Whereas me, you knew what you were going to get every week. I wasn't the best player, I wasn't the worst player, but you knew what you're going to get. And that's what he knows about this fight. He knows I'll be there.
"And he's got to hope he has a good night. That was his rugby league game. His coaches were hoping he'd have a Sonny Bill moment, hoping he'd flick an offload and score a try. All hope."
And what will Williams get on Wednesday night?
"He's going to get a tough bloke coming forward, throwing punches, making him tired. And he's got to hope he has a good night. I'd rather know what I'm going to get than hope what I'm going to get."
Sonny Bill Williams during a training session at Opetaia Boxing. Getty
Williams is taller, heavier, faster and younger, with much longer reach and a supremely chiselled body after leaving his family in Sydney to train with the Opetaia camp on the Gold Coast.
Standing next to them both, it seems impossible that Gallen - even with that granite jaw - can conquer SBW.
But Gallen (15-2-1) has the more impressive overall boxing resume, with his only losses coming against respected pugilists Justis Huni and Kris Terzievski.
Mark Hunt throws a punch as Sonny Bill Williams goes down. Getty
Neither man has fought since 2022, when Gallen beat former State of Origin rival Justin Hodges and Williams (9-1) was knocked out by Mark Hunt in his only loss.
Gallen beat ex-UFC champion Hunt by unanimous decision in 2020.
He questions whether Williams, 39, has a chin.
"Mark Hunt's a big puncher, we know that," Gallen said.
"But I've heard other stories, behind closed doors, where he's got dropped a couple of times in sparring. We'll see if I catch him."
Gallen has given up booze and sugar and had dropped more than 5kg when WWOS paid him a visit.
Paul Gallen during a training session at 43 Kingsway. Getty
He concedes 11cm in height and the bookmakers favour Williams but Gallen is used to beating the odds.
This will be his last fight, he reckons.
"His ability to dance and stay away from me will be his advantage," Gallen said.
"He's been running all his life. But by the eighth round I'll be able to catch him."
