Paul Gallen has slammed Justis Huni as "disrespectful" for taking another fight before their hotly-anticipated heavyweight duel.
The NRL great has also claimed that with so much on his plate and as a relative novice in professional sport, Huni is going to "get found out" in the next month of boxing.
Huni (3-0, 3 KOs) will defend his Australian heavyweight title against Christian Tsoye (5-3-2, 4 KOs) on May 26, a small-venue bout aimed at TV that was already scheduled. He is booked to face Gallen (11-0-1, 6 KOs) three weeks later on June 16 at Sydney's International Convention Centre and is then scheduled to fight for Australia at the Tokyo Olympics, touted as a genuine medal chance.
"I don't know what his Olympic team think of it. How many other boxers in that Olympic team are out having fights four or five weeks before they go away? I think it's more disrespectful to them than anyone," Gallen told Wide World of Sports.
"He's still got a fight to get through (vs Tsoye). I'm really frustrated with the fact that the fight's even happening.
"It just shouldn't be happening. We talk about respecting the sport, I just don't think he should be having another fight.
"I think it's disrespectful. And look at his last fight (vs Jack Maris) - a guy at his level shouldn't be fighting guys like that. Imagine I fought a bloke like that, I would be ridiculed non-stop. Non-stop.
"I've never taken a fight that's been an easy-beat at all, I've always taken guys on the same level as me or above; most of them were actually above. I've never fought anyone with a losing record. While this guy never had a losing record, he was miles off where Huni's at.
"And this Christian Tsoye, he's not, he's tough. He's tough and the chance of a cut, chance of an injury ... it's just a risky fight and who's going to give him more publicity, Christian Tsoye or me?
"What if the fight falls through? That's what I'm worried about, I'm worried that (Huni promoter) Dean Lonergan's just using me up for the publicity.
"We've got a press conference [today] and one in Brisbane, and he's got a fight next week. What if he gets hurt? I'm just wasting my time.
"I do have other things that go on in life, my family. I'm training hard to get ready for this but there's still that 'what if?'
"I'm a professional athlete, I'm almost finished and you always love a challenge and to be pushed, so that's what I'm doing. The money's a bonus, I'm not going to say I don't like it.
"But watching him fight on the 26th, it's going to be heart in the mouth stuff. I'll be honest with you, part of me hopes he gets knocked out. Teach him a lesson. But then, I've got to look after myself to, so it's going to be mixed emotions that night."
Gallen could make more than $1 million from the Huni fight, so the stakes are high. He is bemused by Huni taking on such a massive load so early in his career and won't be surprised if it all goes off the rails.
Having fast gone from NRL rising star to polarising villain during his two-decade rugby league career, Gallen also warned Huni that he was in a honeymoon period.
"I don't know what to make of it. He must have a lot on his mind at the moment, a fair bit he's got to deal with and get through," Gallen said.
"He's either a really chilled-out character or just supremely confident in what he can do. I think he's going to get found out. In one of these next two fights, he's going to get found out.
"It will be interesting to see how he handles it. Someone told me his Instagram following has gone from 15,000 to over 19,000 already, so I've already helped him out there.
"It's interesting in Australia. When you first get started, everyone loves you. You're the new kid on the block and everyone loves you and because he's fighting me, everyone's going to want him to beat me.
"But it will be interesting to see how he deals with the pressure and expectation in a few years. Even how he deals with this one, because he hasn't had this exposure before, hasn't had this expectation.
"I've been doing this for over 20 years and at times had the whole world on my back. We know I'm going to be able to handle it. I'm going to get to the night fit and confident and mentally prepared.
'There's going to be a bit of a question mark over him; can he handle it, can he handle the pressure and expectation? It's going to be interesting to see."
Gallen also shed light on a clash with Huni at NRL Magic Round. Gallen was on the sideline at Suncorp Stadium for Channel Nine, when Huni was planted behind him in the crowd.
"That wasn't set up on my behalf. I was on the sideline and Dean Lonergan put him directly behind me and yelled out a couple of things to me," Gallen said.
"He gave me the thumbs down, so I gave him the finger.
"At least he was there, I don't think he's done anything else. It's a start."
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from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/news/paul-gallen-justis-huni-boxing-fight-act-of-disrespect-pressure-on-young-star/f153acba-3f37-4bb9-a0d5-fdb1bc39ff84
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