'Jealous of me and what I've achieved': Paul Gallen claps back at Lucas Browne after pre-fight press conference
NRL great Paul Gallen assures Lucas Browne is "jealous of me and what I've achieved" as the two fighters prepare to slug it out in the squared-circle on Wednesday night.
The war of words has been fierce between the pair, and it kicked up another level today when Browne emphatically declared at the official pre-fight press conference: "I just think he's a f---wit."
"He's an absolute dead-set donkey. Look at the head on him. He's just got a head that you want to punch."
Gallen, who has been the more vocal of the pair in the lead up to the bout, didn't seem phased by Browne's broadside as he assured the former heavyweight champion was merely jealous of all that he'd achieved in his decorated career.
Lucas Browne (left) and Paul Gallen stare each other down ahead of their heavyweight duel. Getty
"We don't like each other," Gallen told WWOS Radio on 2GB. "I don't like what he's about, he doesn't like what I'm about.
"He thinks I'm just a footy player in there to earn some money. He doesn't give me any respect as a boxer.
"I don't like how jealous he is of me and what I've achieved in my sporting career. We genuinely want to get in there and hurt each other. At the moment there's genuine animosity there."
Browne has an exceptional record of 29 wins (25 by knockout), two losses and zero draws - he's also a former heavyweight world champion - but Gallen says his success is built on the fact his rivals "shit themselves and let him punch them".
"Everyone he's fought in Australia - everyone bar the blokes who almost killed him - have been scared before they got in the ring," Gallen said at the media event today.
"They've been scared of him. They think about it too much. They stand there and they shit themselves and let him punch them.
"I'm not going to do that. I'm not scared of him.
Gallen has a professional boxing record of 10-0-1 with five knockouts. He most recently shocked former MMA star Mark Hunt by recovering from a huge punch to come back and win on points.
Paul Gallen is preparing for his clash with Lucas Browne. (Getty) Getty
Gallen developed a reputation during his 19-year rugby league career with the Sharks, NSW and Australia as one of the toughest competitors in the game.
