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Paul Gallen admits "all the pressure" is connected him aft it was confirmed the erstwhile Sharks prima volition look chap ex-NRL subordinate Darcy Lussick adjacent month.
Gallen was initially scheduled to combat Manly's Josh Aloiai earlier helium tested affirmative for COVID-19 and was ruled retired of their bout.
The caller bout featuring Lussick volition displacement from Newcastle to Sydney's Star Event Centre and volition instrumentality spot connected December 22.
Gallen's combat with Aloiai was acceptable for six two-minute rounds, but present the caller fixture has alternatively shifted to conscionable 3 two-minute rounds.
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"It's not perfect [the alteration of opponent]," Gallen said during a property conference.
"I request to convey Darcy for stepping in, it's a large ask... I saw Darcy bid successful the lead-up to the Justin Hodges combat and I knew helium would triumph that fight.
"It's going to beryllium a bully fight, helium tin deed hard."
Gallen, 40, has a nonrecreational combat grounds of 11–1–1, portion 32-year-old Lussick has conscionable 1 KO show against erstwhile Broncos fable Justin Hodges.
Gallen said helium expects Lussick to "come forward" and "punch" arsenic opposed to Aloiai, who the erstwhile Sharks skipper claims wanted to container "pretty".
"Josh Aloiai got what helium needed - helium doubled his Instagram followers, Manly cognize his sanction now, helium got what helium needed retired of it. He's done, he's missed his opportunity," Gallen said.
"Lussick is simply a harder puncher [than Aloiai].
"I deliberation the different bloke (Aloiai) was going to effort and beryllium a spot pretty, I deliberation that's wherefore helium wanted the shorter rounds - to beryllium pretty, to effort and box. Whereas Darcy is going to travel guardant and conscionable effort to punch me.
"I saw him bid similar that, helium fought Hodges similar that and that's what he's going to do.
"It's a antithetic prospect, 3 two-minute rounds are going to suit him perfectly, he'll beryllium ready. It's a monolithic juncture for him and each the unit is connected maine to spell retired determination and execute and win.
"Come the nighttime I'll beryllium fit, I'm acceptable and healthy... the rounds won't beryllium an issue, but Darcy volition beryllium the contented and I've got to debar those large punches and punch him back.
"He volition beryllium acceptable connected the night, it's a monolithic juncture for him.
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"All the unit is connected me. I've got to perform, I've got to get this win."
Gallen said it's the archetypal clip successful his sporting vocation wherever he's had to woody with a abrupt alteration of plans.
"I accidental successful my sporting vocation I've ne'er had to woody with this before," helium added.
"If you're playing the Cronulla Sharks connected the play - you're playing the Cronulla Sharks connected the weekend, it doesn't alteration to the Melbourne Storm overnight.
"I didn't cognize Darcy was going to popular up, determination were 4 oregon 5 different names and I said that I would combat anyone... I told that to the (promoters) Rose boys and they deliberation the champion imaginable was Darcy Lussick. I'm guided by them."
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