NRL enforcer Paul Gallen says Sonny Bill Williams is dodging him and the Sharks skipper is close to giving up on his fight with the cross-code superstar.
The fight has the potential to earn Gallen big dollars — some say in excess of $A500,000 (NZ$557,000) — but after striking a deal to fight SBW, it looks like falling over because of a dispute with broadcasters. But Gallen smells a rat. He is of the belief that SBW is dodging him.
"I think the issue here is that Sonny is worried about me," Gallen said. "I've watched him very closely this year and he is looking a bit fragile.
"He's had a couple of head knocks and I think they are worried about what will happen when I get hold of him.
"They know that I am not like anyone he has fought. I will come at him and keep coming. I don't have a reputation as a boxer to protect.
"I don't want to fight anyone else except for Sonny and that would worry them. I've got nothing to lose and that's a concern for Sonny."
Williams made it very clear to this column that he wants to fight Gallen. SBW said that Gallen's sledging of him was a reflection of the kind of person Gallen is.
Gallen formed the opinion the fight won't happen after a long conversation with Williams' agent, Khoder Nasser.
"I want to say that I respect Khoder and he has put on 50 fights for Main Event," Gallen said. "He knows what he is doing and he is telling me that he wants the best possible result for me and Sonny when it comes to the finances. I have no reason to doubt him.
"I know he has my best interest at heart when it comes to the fight, but I can't understand why the deal has not happened with a network.
"Everywhere I go people come up to me and say they are looking forward to the fight and they reckon it would be the best fight in years.
"I'll be very disappointed if I don't get to fight Sonny because people want to see it. At this point, I really don't think that it will happen."
Photo by: BRETT HEMMINGS/GETTY IMAGES Caption: Sonny Bill Williams celebrates with Ben Smith during the first Bledisloe test in Sydney.