Paul Gallen rubbishes Matt Lodge's offer to fight for FREE with all proceeds going to charity

NRL legend Paul Gallen has taken aim at Matt Lodge’s proposal for a GoFundMe charity boxing match, calling it a ‘PR stunt’. 

Last week the former rugby league player-turned-boxer defeated both Ben Hannant and Justin Hodges on the same night and now has one fight remaining on his No Limit Boxing contract.

For that final match-up, he called on promoter George Rose to gather up a feared current NRL enforcer saying he has no doubt he’d ‘smash every one of them’. 

Sydney Roosters star Matt Lodge answered the call, revealing on Instagram Gallen’s team had approached him for the fight.

However, he wanted to do it on his own conditions.

That meant a crowd-funded event, with all proceeds from a $1 million target to go towards building a boxing facility in western Sydney for kids to go for free and train with professional coaches.

Seemed like a cool idea at the time – but not in Gallen's eyes.

It appears the Cronulla Sharks legend wasn’t too impressed with the offer labelling it ‘embarrassing’ and a ‘PR stunt’, as per Wide World of Sport.

Gallen asked: "He wants to raise money does he?"

"So once again he's actually doing nothing. Once again he's looking for other people to donate their hard-earned money to make him look good."

Adding: “If he really wants to donate money and cares for these people, donate the money he’s not working hard to earn, he’s getting $700,000 off the Warriors, donate that to a good cause.

“Prove how much you want to help people. Don’t use other people’s hard-earned money, don’t use my profile.

“You do something yourself. You get up off your back. Everything I’ve heard him say he’s doing absolutely nothing. He’s asking other people to donate money, $1 million, and he’ll fight me. Shut up mate.”

In his conditions for the fight, the former Warriors forward maintained he wouldn’t step into the ring without ‘a purpose’. 

Lodge wrote: “Last week Paul Gallen said he would ‘smash any current NRL player’ and wants to do so for his last fight.

“Well, after a lot of thinking, I’m willing to give 99 per cent of the people what they want. I’ll jump in the ring with the best boxer rugby league has and give him his grand finale.

“Whenever he wants, as many rounds as he wants. Bankwest Stadium or Northies I don’t really care, you choose. But I don’t box, I’m a footy player so I’m sure as hell not doing it without a purpose – and I don’t want a single dollar for it.

“Instead I want everyone to throw in what they can afford, get the popcorn out, sit on the lounge and enjoy, I want to donate it all to a good cause.”