Gallen planning another fight before NRL season

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Paul Gallen

Gallen, 33, scored a farcical first round TKO victory over former NRL bad boy Anthony Watts at the Hordern Pavillion on Wednesday night in his return from an ASADA drugs ban.

The pair traded haymakers for 72 seconds before Watts was forced to withdraw with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

Watts ducked as Gallen rushed forward and bore the full brunt of the NSW skipper's frame on his left shoulder and neck area.

The former bikie, who spent time in jail earlier this year, tried to continue briefly before complaining to the referee about his shoulder.

Watts looked in serious discomfort and was taken straight to hospital, with an unimpressed Gallen improving his professional record to a perfect 2-0.

"The big fella's got to do some rotator cuff instead of bench press," Gallen quipped after the fight.

"I felt pretty relaxed. He did get me with a pretty good shot there and I was really relaxed where as last time I was a bit rattled. I was relaxed the whole time.

"He got injured so what can you do? That's the way it goes. I'm looking to have a fight early next year and then get back into footy full time."

Gallen is unsure who he will fight next but ruled out a re-match with Watts.

"I think I'll move forward. I've had three sparring sessions in 8 weeks and I was in hospital last week (with a golden staph infection) so give me one good week of training and he wouldn't come near me."

"I don't know what to say about it (his next fight), I'm not that experienced with it but I'll be guided by my team and see what happens."

Meanwhile, Daniel Geale bounced back from his devastating loss to Gennady Golovkin in July with a unanimous points victory over countryman Jarrod Fletcher.

Geale looked out of sorts early but dominated the fight from the third round.

He knocked his former sparring partner down with a sharp left hand in the fifth round and landed punches at will throughout.

The Tasmanian was disappointed not to finish the brave Fletcher inside the distance but declared the win the 'first step' in his quest to return back to the top of the middleweight division.

"It wasn't my most polished performance but you've got to give credit to Jarrod, he's a skilled athlete," Geale said.

"He pushed me and I was a little bit annoyed that I couldn't get that finish.

"It was right there in front of me and I could smell it but sometimes it goes that way. We do know each other very well and it makes it harder."

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