Respect, or rather the lack of it, was a sore point for boxers Garth Wood, Daniel Geale and NSW Origin skipper Paul Gallen – who's about to make his professional heavyweight debut – at a press conference to promote Wednesday's fight night at the Hordern Pavilion.
Wood and Geale exchanged barbs over perceptions and styles; Gallen was infuriated after he offered his opponent Queenslander Herman Ene-Purcell a sporting handshake but copped a mouthful about Origin for his trouble.
Geale and Wood's middleweight bout was billed as a world title without a crown and it seemed destined to be a 12-rounder with buckets worth of bad blood and bile. Wood publicly declared he wouldn't shake hands with the former triple world champion until after the bout while Geale compared his foe's behaviour to that of Anthony Mundine."Most of the guys who I come up against don't show me much respect before our fight," said Geale. "Take Mundine for example, he showed me no respect and he tried to get into my head through the whole preparation. That's all part of it; guys try to do things to upset you. I do things my way, unfortunately it's not the most exciting way, but I get it done. Garth will come out strong, come out powerful because that's what he does. I see my skills taking over and I'm going to win the fight."
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Wood was incensed to think Geale devoted the press conference to talking about his future opponents – including WBA champion Gennady Golovkin – and The Contender champion's "rough" style.
"I'm not going to be a puppet for them, I'm over it," Wood fumed. "I'm cool, calm and collected but all he did was talk about who he's going to fight next and my tactics. They're not going to know what's hit them on Wednesday; [I'm] a totally different fighter. Obviously I walked into this game raw, I come from nothing, I come from the gutters, but I have aspirations to put the hard work in and become a seasoned campaigner and world champion. Well, watch out, I have some new skills . . . I'm not head butting, not elbowing. [The media] asked what my prediction is - I'm going to win. It's going to be a great night, hopefully a legendary night for me and a super fight. I've signed up for this, all of it, warts and all and I'll go through hell and back."
Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen received extra motivation to go hard after he sought out Ene-Purcell to wish him well but was taunted about Queensland's dominance of the Origin arena.
"I turned up here with an open mind, found him and went over and shook his hand and he wants to comment and carry on about Origin," said Gallen through clenched teeth. "I just think he's . . . mate, I just want to win now. I'm just pumped up. He wasn't even offered to me as an opponent. They said he was too big a puncher but he got on Facebook and with the media ringing me he's got a fight and I just want to beat him."
Ene-Purcell said he was ready for whatever Gallen served up. "He's a NSW hero [so he'll have great support], he's an opponent not to underestimate, it's a bit nerve wracking but it is also exciting," he said. "If I win it'll get my name out there, what better way to do it than [beating] a rugby league legend."
Gallen KO'd claims he injured his neck during the Auckland Nines tournament over the weekend and said he was well prepared and ready for the fight.
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