The left-field fights continue on Wednesday night when former Rugby League star Paul Gallen takes on former UFC star Mark Hunt at Bankwest Stadium in Sydney’s west on Wednesday night.
Gallen has enjoyed something of an impressive boxing career, particularly since hanging up the footy boots, but there is no doubt that Hunt, who has spent his entire career in fight sports, is his biggest test to date.
Thankfully, we’ll also be treated in our co-main when up-and-coming Aussie star Tim Tszyu takes on New Zealand’s number one-ranked fighter, Bowyn Morgan.
We’ve briefly previewed both fights and offered our best betting plays below.
Paul Gallen vs Mark Hunt
Paul Gallen
Gallen’s rugby league career has been well documented – love him or hate him, there is absolutely no denying the passion and skill that he brought to the NRL, his beloved Cronulla Sharks and the Blue jersey.
When he first began to dip his toe into boxing, it appeared as though it was just going to be another ‘here’s a bloke that plays a different sport fighting’ situation, given the quality of his opponents could best be compared to those that Homer Simpson fought prior to Drederick Tatum.
Instead, he has developed into a genuinely competitive fighter, boasting a decent arsenal of skill that perhaps most on show in his most-recent fight with former AFL hardman Barry Hall.
While that fight ended in a contentious draw, Gallen displayed a keen defence that he had previously not required, and there is no doubt that he’ll need to utilise that against Hunt.
His record stands at 9-0-1, but he will begin this fight as an outsider in betting.
Mark Hunt
Hunt’s history in combat sports, particularly kick boxing and MMA has been excellent, and probably peaked in 2014 when he fought for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, albeit a failed tilt.
The forty-six-year-old has boxed professionally previously, but the last time that he pulled on a pair of gloves competitively was literally 20 years ago.
His biggest weapon, in every fight sport that he has participated in however, has been his fists.
Hunt recorded thirteen wins in total throughout his MMA career, with ten of those coming by way of knockout.
Hunt absolutely deserves favouritism in betting ahead of this fight, and he will look to close it out early.
Gallen vs Hunt Betting & Predictions
Gallen definitely faces the biggest task of his career so far against Hunt, and that is echoed in betting – the former Sharks captain is a $2.50 outsider, while the veteran Kiwi can be taken at odds of $1.57.
Given his noticeably improved skill each and every time that he has stepped into the ring, I’m confident that Gallen will take further improvement into this, and he will give Hunt a serious fight.
Hunt will look to end the fight within the six designated rounds, but he will certainly need to land a pearler on Gallen to put him down – something that is yet to happen to the former league star.
Digging further into the markets, the value looks to lie in backing the fight to go the distance, and if that happens, I believe that Gallen will be every chance of winning.
Tips:
Will The Fight Go The Distance – Yes ($2.65)
Gallen To Win By Points Or Decision ($4.50)
Tim Tszyu vs Bowyn Morgan
Tim Tszyu
Tim Tszyu is easily Australia’s brightest prospect currently in the world of boxing, and there is a genuine case to be built for him being the most exciting since his father, Kostya, defected from the Soviet Union in the early 90s.
Tszyu is undefeated since making his professional debut in 2016, producing a record of 16 wins, twelve by way of knockout and zero losses.
There is no doubt at all that he enters this fight off the back of his most impressive performance to date – an utter dismantling of former WBO Middleweight Champion Jeff Horn in August, that resulted in an eighth-round TKO.
A mandatory shot at the WBO super-welterweight title awaits Tszyu if he beats Morgan, and it’s tough imagining anything but that result materialising.
Bowyn Morgan
He is anything but a household name amongst the general Australian sports-loving community, but Bowyn Morgan has enjoyed an impressive career since debuting professionally in 2014.
Morgan has had twenty-three fights for 21 wins, 11 via way of knockout, one loss and one no contest.
Morgan hasn’t fought since October 2019, but he had been in devastating form prior to the lay-off, winning each of his three most-recent fights within the distance.
That being said, there is absolutely no doubt that this is the biggest test of Morgan’s career to date, particularly fighting outside of New Zealand, and he would need to go to another level to compete effectively with Tszyu.
Tszyu vs Morgan Betting & Predictions
Tszyu is a star on the rise and is potentially just a couple of fights away from a maiden world championship.
That is well and truly echoed in the market – he is a $1.07 favourite to defeat Bowyn Morgan, who is rated virtually no chance of winning at $8.50.
Tsyzu’s speed, agility and technique has undone better fights than Morgan, and I’m expecting him to win by KO or TKO once more.
There’s no value remaining in the $1.30 quote for that result, so I’m instead going to chance the arm on a few couple of rounds.
Tips:
Tszyu in Round 5 ($8.50)
Tszyu in Round 6 ($8.50)
Tszyu In Round 7 ($8.50)