Sonny Bill Williams believes Paul Gallen has been acting suspiciously over their blockbuster cross-code fight, which is set to see the pair bank around $1million each.
But interestingly, according to Phil Rothfield, that payout could have been doubled, had both fighters agreed a deal to step into the ring several years ago.
Williams, a former All Black, who also played in the NRL for Canterbury and the Sydney Roosters, appeared to tell the legendary journalist that both he and Gallen could have banked a $2m payday had the fight been hashed out sooner.
The pair have been tip-toeing around each other for some time but it has been officially confirmed in the last two weeks that they will now finally meet in the ring. The former NRL stars have agreed to split the fight purse 50-50, with the bout to be shown exclusively on Stan Sport.
And speaking for the first time since the fight’s announcement, Williams, 39, has come out of his corner throwing shade at his upcoming opponent.
‘Everyone knows this fight should have happened much earlier, so let’s get it on,’ the Kiwi said.
Sonny Bill Williams (pictured) has hit back at Paul Gallen after the former NRL star branded him a fraud
The All Blacks great (pictured) claimed that Gallen had been acting ‘suspiciously’ during negotiations over their cross-code fight
It was revealed in recent weeks that the pair (Gallen pictured) had finally agreed terms to meet in the ring.
‘He’s always acted like he wanted to fight me but whenever it was about to happen, it never did.
‘Years ago his adviser (Peter Mitrevski Jnr) agreed to a deal.
‘He took it back to Gallen, who then reneged on it. That’s a fact.
‘Finally, he’s signed the contract. July 16, see you there. There’s no backing away now.’
Speaking to The Age, Williams added: ‘We were right down to the final wire when he came back and changed the goalposts, he said he wanted 70 per cent [of the takings] and you get 30.
‘I don’t know why he’s come [back] after three years, it’s quite weird, it’s quite suspicious.’
The Age reports that during the negotiations the fighters had come to an impasse over the length of rounds they would fight over.
Late on in the talks, a time was finally hashed out, with the duo now set to square off over eight two-minute rounds.
Gallen (left, pictured with Barry Hall) had previously branded Williams a ‘fraud’. The Kiwi footy star has since hit back claiming he was going to ‘smash Gallen’s face’
Williams has reveealed that the pair could have earned around $2million had they agreed terms sooner
Gallen, who made 348 appearances for Cronulla between 2001 and 2019, is four years Williams senior had recently called the New Zealand star a ‘fraud’.
‘I just think he’s a fraud,’ he said, while claiming that Williams had stat padded his record with victories against older opponents.
‘I’m not the fighter I was three years ago, I know that, but I’ve still got enough to beat him and that’s all that matters,’ Gallen added.
But Williams fired back.
‘Great work, congratulations. He’s copped a few too many punches already. At the end of the day, it’s on, and we’ll find out,’ he said.
‘We’re the same age. His hairline is a bit worse than mine, his face is uglier than mine, but we’re the same age.’
Williams, though, is committed to securing victory against Gallen.
‘I still want bragging rights, I still want to give him a good hiding. He talks too much, I’m going to smash his face.’
Williams currently holds a record of nine wins and one defeat, which the 39-year-old suffered against Mark Hunt in his last fight against MMA star Mark Hunt back in 2022.
Gallen has a record of 15-2-1 with his last fight, a win, coming against Justin Hodges in November 2022.
