AFL legend Barry Hall is demanding Curtis Scott now front up after publicly threatening to retire him from all Australian sport earlier this year, saying: “He’s called me out, now I’m calling his bluff”.
Hall has also urged the exiled NRL star to bring the same energy he had on the microphone when they next meet in person, suggesting it wasn’t the case when the “clout” chasing 26-year-old first introduced himself back in March.
Roughly two years since he took consecutive crossover fights against both Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams, Fox Sports Australia can reveal Hall is back in the gym and, at 47, readying for a comeback to the Aussie heavyweight scene — starting with a bout against Scott.
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His declaration comes only months after the 2017 Melbourne premiership winner made his own switch to the sport after being banned from rugby league following a string of off-field issues.
Making his debut on a No Limit Pay-Per-view event in March, Scott needed less than two rounds to finish Joey Leilua, after which he declared himself willing to not only fight the champion Sydney Swans forward – who days earlier had hinted at a possible return – but retire him.
Speaking moments after his victory over Leilua, Scott said of Hall: “A little birdy has told me Big Bad Barry wants to get back in the ring.
“If that old bugger wants to get in, I’m happy to put him in retirement for good.”
All of which, Hall admits now, came as a surprise.
While the AFL great has not fought since being kayoed by Williams, he is now ready to open discussions with promoters No Limit for a return to the sport, most likely in June.
Hall also admitted to having had no clue who Scott was before March this year, when the former NSW Origin hopeful introduced himself during a No Limit on Fox fight night in Sydney.
Hall was at the event to help corner his mate and sparring partner Troy Pilcher when, the former Swan says, he was approached by Scott, who was set to fight Leilua just a week later.
“Curtis came up, introduced himself and said g’day,” Hall recounted. “That was it.”
He added, however, that things quickly changed a week later.
“I was actually out for dinner when my phone started to blow up,” he continued.
“I was suddenly getting all these text messages saying ‘you’ve been called out for a fight’.
“I said ‘oh, OK, who might that happen to be’ … and it was Curtis.
“He was calling me old, saying he was going to put me into retirement and whatever else.
“So his energy had certainly changed from our previous meeting in person, which surprised me to be honest.
“But if he wants to go, yeah, now we can definitely get it on.
“No problem at all.
“He’s called me out and now I’m calling his bluff.”
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Hall said that, given his age, and after losing so convincingly last start against SBW, where he was dropped twice before being finished, he isn’t surprised Scott chose to call him out.
“I think he sees vulnerability in me,” the crossover fighter said.
“He also sees my name and is trying to get some clout for himself.
“So again, I accept that challenge.
“You’ve called me out, it’s time to put up.
“Give me eight weeks, nine weeks and I’m ready to go.”
Asked his thoughts on Scott as a fighter, Hall continued: “Watching his fight against Leilua, who was almost 30kg heavier, he’s obviously not scared.
“He walked forward, mixed it up.
“So I won’t have to go searching for him.
“But again, I want to reiterate that he called me out.
“And that’s because he sees me as vulnerable.
“So I want to show him that’s not the case.”
Apart from his convincing win over Leilua, Scott also took a second fight earlier this month against Fijian Nepote Dawadawa, where he scored a third round stoppage.
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Hall, meanwhile, says he has more to give boxing before finally stepping down from one of Australia’s great sporting careers.
He described the Williams loss as “a skeleton in my closet” and “something I want to get rid of it”.
“Because that wasn’t the best version of me,” he stressed.
“And that’s what I want to show against Curtis if he does accept.
“I want to show people what I can really do.
“What I’m capable of.
“And I think people are going to be surprised.
“But I also realise that it’s heavyweight boxing.
“You can’t count your chickens because you’re only ever one punch away.”
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia back in March, Hall revealed his interest in a return to boxing, and confirmed he was again sparring “regularly” in Burleigh with well-known trainer Fidel Tukel.
“The way my last fight went, that’s not how I want to finish,” Hall said of being stopped by Williams within a round.
“I thought I was fairly unlucky with some circumstances there and I’d like to rectify that.
“I’d love a rematch with Sonny Bill.
“I probably won’t get it because ‘why would they?’. I get that.
“But I would like the fight. And obviously Paul Gallen is the other one.
“There is unfinished business there.
“We had that draw but he knows I won. And I know I won.
“I won that fight four rounds to two, and most people who know boxing would agree.
“But it didn’t go that way.
“Afterwards too, I wanted the rematch but it didn’t happen.
“Paul obviously had the Mark Hunt match which would’ve been more money.
“So I get it.
“And I know he’s retired and I probably should be too.
“But that’s a story that needs to be finished.
“So we will see what happens. I’m happy to fight anyone within reason.”