By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Australian heavyweight Paul Gallen (9-0, 5 KOs) and Aussie Rules Football legend Barry Hall will clash in Melbourne, Victoria on Friday. The 42-year-old Hall will be making his professional debut against the 38-year-old Gallen, who is a Rugby League Football legend and one of the best heavyweights in Australia.

Gallen said on Channel Sports Sunday, “I will be ready on Friday to stop Hall in his tracks. I will stop his boxing career before it gets started.

“Hall’s height advantage (6’4 to 5’11) will not be an advantage to him as I will nullify that boxing on the inside with good head movement and superior work rate. I will be able to get him out of there late in the fight and finish him off.

“Hall and myself are both professionals and will not be throwing any punches at the weigh-in. I have trained hard. I have been training for seven weeks. I trained and sparred in London against some of the best boxers in the world. Barry has been sparring guys who have been helping him out. I’m getting in there with ten ounce gloves and will be hitting him in the head!”

Hall, who boxed as an amateur, said on Channel Nine News, “If he didn’t want to take (the fight) he didn’t have to do it and there wouldn’t be a fight. That’s what people want. With the limited preparation I had that’s what we have come up with so stop whinging and start fighting.”

Hall has enlisted the help of former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Danny Green.

Hall of Famer Johnny Lewis, who trained Jeff Fenech, Kostya Tszyu and Jeff Harding, said Hall could have been an Australian champion.