It was a warm welcome for Gallagher who believes he should’ve had two more titles within the gym had the world not had been rocked by this pandemic.
“The three fights meant so much to the three fighters involved, Hosea Burton, I don’t know how many [black] cats have crossed his path in boxing. Natasha Jonas a World title and Callum Johnson a European title. They are big fights for all three of them that meant a lot. Natasha could’ve been World champion by now.”
The esteemed trainer revealed to Pro Boxing Fans that both Callum’s Johnson and Smith could both be targeting Artur Beterbiev and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in the near future.
“Callum Johnson [could’ve been] European champion and ready for another shot at [Artur] Beterbiev. I was surprised to see him throw his name into the ring for the Canelo fight. We’ve always spoken in private in the gymnasium about him getting down to do 168 [pounds] if the right fight and opportunity presented itself.
“I saw someone on Canelo’s behalf put a list out of fighters they are looking at and Callum [Smith’s] name wasn’t on there. At the end of the day if Canelo wants to fight Callum Smith all he has to do is call DAZN and the fights made. We’ll say an amount of money and Canelo will say, ‘give it to them.’ If Canelo wants that fight, he wants that fight.
“I agree a little bit to what Liam [Smith] said, not that they tried to make a fool of Callum but [he] was more of a red herring really. There was an offer made but then there was an offer that was agreed but they never came back to [us]. Callum was all for that fight, you don’t know if it’s all smoke screens and mirrors but if you want to be the number one at the weight it’s Callum Smith. I know Callum Smith is madly intent on fighting David Benavidez, Caleb Plant. If they are not going to come then it’s moving up to Light-Heavyweight fighting the likes of Gilberto Ramirez, Beterebiev, they’re fights that excite him too. If the fights can’t be made at 168 we’ll be left with no option. It’s a shame really. I said to him the other day, ‘if they can make Tyson Fury vs AJ then there’s still hope for you, son to get a Plant or a Benavidez fight.’
“Whilst quarantine and the lockdown is on, each day it goes on, there’s more chance of these fights being made. But, once the gates open, and the flights kick in, Billy Joe will be wanting to get the Canelo fight back on and who blames him! But if that doesn’t happen in this country we still have got [Chris] Eubank Jr, John Ryder, [Zach] Parker who’s just won his final eliminator so he’ll become Billy Joe’s mandatory sooner or later. But there are fights to be made in Britain but we just have to see what Eddie Hearn wants to do.“
Whilst the boxing schedule has been put on hold the rumour mill has continued churning with the news that we could get to witness the biggest fight in the sport with Tyson Fury facing Anthony Joshua twice in 2021 if reports are to be believed.
Gallagher chipped in with his thoughts and breakdown on the colossal bout to Pro Boxing Fans. “You got both fighters who will come out with a decent jab. I think Tyson’s mobility, movement side to side, you’ve seen it when he fought Klitschko five years ago when he became World champion and took all the belts. I think what surprised everyone was AJ’s mobility in his last fight, the rematch with Andy Ruiz [Jr]. It’s a battle of the trainers, who will win their gameplay? Will AJ go back to coming forward behind a good jab and letting the right hand go or will he try to box and move but I feel that’s Tyson Fury’s bread and butter. I do feel it’s a battle of the jabs, I really do.
“Tyson’s movement and his jab angles, he can jab tall, jab small and the same with AJ. At the moment I think confidence-wise you have to go with Tyson Fury. AJ had a good thing but I do feel that AJ needs… if AJ fights Pulev and comes through that performance with a four/five round finish [then the] confidence is back. I don’t think AJ is back 100% yet I do feel he needs another good win and he’s back to where he was before the [Ruiz] loss.
“Tyson Fury seems to be going from strength to strength. I think the fights in between the two [Deontay] Wilder fights gave him a chance to strengthen his body, get sharper, get rounds in but the Deontay Wilder [win] has given him huge confidence.
“But, Deontay Wilder will be coming back, a man scorned now so he’ll want to put things right. There’s a long way to go before this fight. I think a motivated Wilder against Tyson Fury, Fury has got to be as motivated as he was last time or he could come unstuck but I think he’s got his number now. I expect Tyson to come through that and AJ needs to put on a really solid performance against Pulev. He doesn’t want to come out of the Pulev fight having been knocked down or winning on a split decision because just know that the fans and the media will make Fury a huge favourite.”
Amongst the rumour mill was also talk of the pay-per-view price of around £50 for the heavyweight match up. It was something Gallagher felt strongly about.
“I think that’s disgusting, £50 to watch that on a pay-per-view event. I know in America for years it’s been $80, $100 stuff like that but boxing over the times it builds people’s expectations. It promises to deliver so much but so often it lets us down, we’ve seen that with the [Floyd] Mayweather vs [Manny] Pacquiao fight. British boxing is in a great place now, we have the two Heavyweight champions, boxing fans have been behind them from day one. They’ve supported them from day one. They’ve been to the venues, the shows, the small halls Tyson Fury in Dagenham, AJ boxing on bills. Now they’re going to fight [each other] don’t pull the fans pants down!
“Who suggested that, Dick Turpin?”