Dean Lonergan wants Paul Gallen to 'step up' to Australian boxing title shot with Justis Huni

Huni's promoter Dean Lonergan says Gallen should step up to face Huni (2-0), despite his call out of former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.

Former NRL premiership winner and NSW Blues captain Paul Gallen moved to 10-0-1 with a unanimous decision win over mixed martial arts icon Mark Hunt in Sydney on Wednesday night.

But Lonergan says Gallen needs to "stop wasting time" competing against MMA fighters in boxing and instead take on what would loom as the biggest challenge of his career in the squared circle.

"If Paul Gallen wants to fight real fighters, he should stop wasting time with MMA fighters who can't box, and step up to the Australian heavyweight boxing champ Justis Huni," Lonergan said.

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"Paul Gallen wants to be on the national stage participating in boxing, Justis Huni will give him a chance to see if he belongs in the world of boxing as a legitimate boxer.

"February 12 in Townsville on the Rugby League Rivals boxing card sees Justis Huni looking for an opponent, with the Australian heavyweight title on the line."

The February 12 bout will ignite a bold four-fight plan including a former world champion and a one-time title challenger for Huni before he arrives in Tokyo for the Olympic Games.

Lonergan is has lined up Herman Ene-Purcell in March, Alex Leapai in May and Lucas Browne in July, weeks before Huni's gold medal tilt.

The missing piece of the puzzle is the February 12 bout on a card stacked with rugby league identities including NRL powerhouses Josh Papalii and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

Should the 21-year-old move to 6-0 and claim gold in Tokyo, he will quickly emerge as one of the most marketable names in the heavyweight boxing scene.

A bout between a rising star many hope is the heavyweight gem so many yearn to unearth and a former rugby league star like Gallen would attract plenty of attention.

But for now Gallen's eyes are locked on Whittaker, who was asked on Grange TV in October 2018 if he would fight Gallen or Sonny Bill Williams in a boxing match and said "of course I would, but I don't think they would" and laughed.

"I thought 'stuff you, you condescending prick'. I'll fight him. I had options for this fight as far other guys go, but Mark was the big name and the big drawcard. I got that one done," Gallen said.

"If we can come to a deal with Rob Whittaker, we'll sort that one out next. I'll have to speak to the Roses but I won't be taking anything less than 50-50.

"I know Rob's team. Alex Prates gave me my blue belt in jiu-jitsu. Justin Lang, I've trained at him gym for the past 10 years. I won't be fitter than him, I won't be stronger than him, it's going to be a challenge.

"That's what I'm here to do, I'm here to challenge myself and I'm here to promote boxing. What bigger challenge than Rob Whittaker?"