Paul Gallen has confirmed he will be without Australia’s world champion trainer Graham Shaw for his blockbuster farewell fight – but has quickly hit back at suggestions the successful pairing have split.
It comes as Gallen has also come under fire after branding rival Nelson Asofa-Solomona a dog, cat, even a rat in the build up to next Friday’s Sydney showdown.
Gallen v Asofa-Solomona | Friday November 6 from 7pm AEDT | Australian sporting icon and crossover boxing king Paul Gallen returns to the ring to face his biggest opponent yet, Nelson ‘Big Nasty’ Asofa-Solomona. | Order now on Kayo Sports.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week about the taunts, the fighter dubbed Big Nasty replied: “Google Paul Gallen’s name and tell me who the real rat is”.
Only a week out from their headliner at Tik Tok Arena, the unbeaten NAS has also questioned if a pay dispute is behind Gallen not having Shaw – who also famously trained Daniel Geale to IBF middleweight gold – in his corner one last time.
Shaw has been with Gallen throughout almost all a career that has included upset wins over Justis Huni, Mark Hunt and Sonny Bill Williams.
Yet in what will now definitely be his last ever boxing appearance, the NRL premiership hero will have another respected Sydney coach, Brian Doyle, join Pete Mitevski Jnr and longtime cut man Brian Wilmot.
No stranger to Australian fight fans, Doyle has himself worked with a large stable of fighters and is also striking coach for Australia’s first ever UFC champion, Robert Whittaker.
Quizzed on the change this week, and what impact it may have on their Main Event headliner, Asofa-Solomona suggested it was significant enough to question if Gal’s trainer had walked out on him.
“Because I’ve heard a few whispers flying about,” the Melbourne heavyweight grinned.
“Just some bits and pieces.
“And while I don’t know exactly what is true and what isn’t, we all know about Paul Gallen’s love of money, right? Everyone knows he’s a bit stingy.
“And I’ve heard that’s why his trainer has left him.
“And again, that’s just what is being thrown around in boxing circles — that it’s all over payment disputes, or over money …”
Elsewhere, NAS also hit back at several of Gallen’s recent media comments.
“When it comes to the war of words, that will always be Paul Gallen’s domain,” he said.
“And Paul can have the war of words.
“He can win all of that.
“Same as he can have all the gotcha moments and whatever.
“Because my gotcha moment is coming, November 6.
“That’s the war I win.
“So I don’t really care about any words that have been thrown at me …”
Rivalry heats up between Gallen & NAS | 00:49
Yet then after a slight pause, NAS continued: “Look, what I will tell you is this; Gallen has called me a dog, he’s called me a cat, and he’s called me a pig.
“So now I want you and everyone out there to do your due diligence.
“Do a Google search of Paul Gallen’s name, then of my name, and you guys tell me who the real pig is, who the real dog is, who the real rat is.”
Gallen, meanwhile, quickly set the record straight on suggestion Shaw had walked, revealing the pair are still working together in the gym, and have been for months.
The NSW Origin great added that, given the pair have both already farewelled the sport previously, Shaw isn’t now keen to come back again like he had last time out for Sonny Bill Williams.
“Graham just doesn’t want to do the fight nights anymore,” Gallen said.
“He told me ‘mate, you’ve retired twice, I’ve retired twice’ … he’s just finished with that part of the boxing scene.
“But I’m definitely still training with him.
“He still holds pads, and I’ve been training with him every week. He’s over in Perth at the moment. Gone to see family over there.
“But I’ve been training with him a couple times a week for the past three or four weeks.
“He’s probably been my main trainer, to be honest.
“Because I haven’t done much sparring, haven’t done a lot of sparring at all.
“I didn’t really want to be copping the punishment.
“But yeah, I’ve done a heap of pad work with him but he just won’t do the fight night.”
‘Cos he’s a flog’ – Gallen roasts NAS | 03:07
Asked to confirm his corner, Gallen said: “Pete Mitrevski will be there, Doyley will be there and Brian Wilmot will wrap my hands”.
Gallen also again took aim at NAS for calling him out, instead of a younger crossover athlete.
“This is a guy should be trying to fight an NRL player,” he said.
“A guy like Junior Paulo, or even Curtis Scott. But has he mentioned those names? No, he won’t because he knows they’ll f***ing beat him.
“He knows that.
“So instead, he tries to take on the old dog.
“He thinks I’m done.
“But mate, I’ve got enough in me.
“I’ve got more than enough mentally to be up for this. So now, on the night, I’ve just got to get up there physically and do it one more time.
“And that’s what I’ll do.”
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Gallen also slammed Asofa-Solomona’s suggestion that he had never called the retired fighter back out, but had simply answered questions put to him by journalists.
“But you don’t have to answer those questions,” Gal fired.
“No one makes you do anything.
“Or if you do answer, say ‘I spoke to Gal and he’s retired’.
“Instead, you’re calling me out at age 45. The guy really is a f***ing idiot.”