Aware Super Theatre, Sydney, Australia. Local ex-football player and heavyweight boxer (over 90.7 kg)
Paul Gallen (14-2-1, 8 KOs) decided to have one more very last fight in his career – he met in rematch with an ex-rival on the rugby field and boxing ring
Justin Hodges (5-2, 2 KOs), whom he beat in September not without the help of a referee.
The format of the fight was 6 rounds of 2 minutes. What was happening strongly resembled the first fight: Gallen tried to impose power boxing, and Hodges relied on anthropometry, wielding a jab and meeting an opponent with right hooks. In which case, the underdog immediately clinched.
Hodges more and more often leaned on clinches, did not let his opponent out of his arms even after the referee’s command, but in this fuss he got tired more than Gallen. Starting from the 3rd round, he constantly appealed to the referee, and in his corner they frankly played for time.
In the last 2-minutes, the veterans viciously hacked to death, and the ropes saved Hodges from falling. Gallen did not finish off the antagonist – he took a risk: he was playing for time, turning his back to his opponent. The gong sounded.
The score of the judges: 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55 in favor of the favorite.
Gallen UD 6.
41-year-old Gallen made a very good noise in boxing – he has a victory over an ex-UFC fighter Mark Hunt (W UD 6) and ex-world champion Lucas Brown (W KO 1).
Australian representative at the 2020 Olympics light heavyweight prospect (up to 79.4 kg)
Paulo Aokuso (3-0, 3 KOs) won his third early victory in profiring – the once strong gatekeeper-veteran from Peru, David Segarra (35-9-1, 22 KOs), was shortened.
Left-hander Aokuso shook the underdog in the opening round – he immediately “took a knee” “on experience”. In the 2nd three-minute period, the favorite pinned the veteran in the corner, removed the block with a beautiful feint and accurately struck a left straight in the jaw. Segarra fell and decided not to continue the fight.
Aokuso TKO 2.