Boxing: UFC Kiwi fighter Mark Hunt throws a punch at Australian league legend Paul Gallen during weigh-in for hugely successful fight

Mark Hunt couldn’t wait until Wednesday night to hit Paul Gallen, throwing a punch during his heated weigh-in.

The pair will be performing at the co-main event before Australian Tim Tszyu fights Kiwi Bowyn Morgan in Sydney, and bad blood spilled as things got spirited just one day after their smash hit battle.

Without provocation, former UFC star Hunt shoved Gallen in the chest and then broke free of his entourage and threw a left hook at Gallen, who was unfazed.

“Mark Hunt just punched Paul Gallen at weigh-in. Hunt very upset by Gallen’s talk,” wrote Daily Telegraph reporter Jamie Pandaram on Twitter.

Fox Sports reporter Cody Kaye tweeted: “I just spoke to Gallen and Hunt. That was legitimate. Neither of them planned. I think both.”

Hunt stepped in for the heavyweight clash with a tick of over 50 pounds and said the time for talking is up.

“This has been brewing for five years. It’s been talking a lot of crap, and now we’re here,” he said. “It’s show time for this guy, let’s see if he can cut it.

“(His talk) increases my fire to put him to sleep.”

Gallen, who tipped the scales at 103.66kg, laughed at Hunt’s scare tactics but admitted he was “shocked.”

“That’s a bit shocking,” he said in response to his opponent’s punch attempts.

“He’s trying to intimidate me, we said from day one that we would be professionals, that it would be respectful preparation, but that surprised me a bit.”

“As I said from day one, I don’t need any motivation … I’m just here to get the win, go home to the family and have fun at Christmas.”

The incident comes after tempers flared at Monday’s press conference when former NSW and Cronulla captain Gallen said he took the fight to “get paid” and told Hunt he “should have stayed. in retirement “.

Gallen added that Hunt should thank him, because the 46-year-old wouldn’t be making such a lucrative payday if it weren’t for the former rugby league star putting on his gloves, but Hunt wasn’t allowing it.

“This is not football, this is fighting,” Hunt said. “I don’t know where he gets his ideas from, especially on the money side. He’s talking shit again.

Wednesday is coming. I’m telling you, you’re going to sleep.

Gallen is undefeated in 10 fights and has surpassed other soccer stars such as Anthony Watts, Bodene Thompson, Junior Paulo and John Hopoate.

His last fight, against AFL legend Barry Hall in late 2019, ended in a draw.

Hunt hasn’t fought in the UFC since December 2018, when he lost his third fight in a row to Justin Willis via unanimous decision.