Ryan Carr-Ketu has kicked the hornet's nest ahead of his boxing bout with Paul Gallen, invoking the Cronulla peptide scandal.
The Sharks NRL skipper used Thursday's weigh in to offer the 34-year-old double or nothing on the prize purse if he makes good on his promise to knock him out.
Carr-Ketu returned fire with a jab about the Sharks' supplements saga and Gallen's ASADA ban, setting off a war of words ahead of their heavyweight bout at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Friday.
"I've been put on the spot here a little bit," Carr-Ketu said in knocking back Gallen's wager.
"Obviously it (the offer) would be a bit of a gamble for me and he's gambled with his NRL career taking the peptides."
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In explaining his decision not to take the proposal, Carr-Ketu said he couldn't afford to gamble with money his family was relying on.
In reply, Gallen called him a "softc***".
Gold Coast-based Kiwi Carr-Ketu, who has a professional boxing record of 2-0, has been vocal in the press leading up to the fight, describing The Shire as a "a bit of a bogan suburb" and branding Gallen the "head bogan".
He also promised to knock out Gallen and on Thursday accused the NSW Origin skipper's camp of playing mind games, including refusing to send a car to pick him up from the airport and breaking a promise on when he'd be paid.
"He's had plenty to say and he's carried on a fair bit," Gallen said.
"I'm used to that. The problem is he doesn't know me personally.
"To judge me the way he has is pretty ordinary. I don't think much of him and it makes me even more fired up for tomorrow night."
Gallen is coming off a win over Canberra prop Junior Paulo a fortnight ago and goes into the bout at 6-0.
He said he was unfazed by Carr-Ketu's reference to the peptides scandal, describing it as water off a duck's back.
"Unfortunately that's what we're going to have to endure for most of our lives," Gallen said.
"We know the story, it was a club issue but what can I say? What can I do?"
"We're going to have to cop that off people with small minds."
