Matty Johns makes eye-opening call on Tevita Pangai's 'certain' return to NRL
The Bulldogs star stunned the NRL world this week after announcing his shock move to boxing.
Matty Johns has tipped Tevita Pangai Jnr to return to the NRL sooner rather than later, echoing Jeff Fenech's call that the fight game will prove too tough an arena. Fenech this week told Yahoo Sport Australia he has concerns over whether Pangai has the hunger and devotion required to make it in boxing following the former Origin forward's shock decision to walk away from rugby league.
The four-time world champion said: "If you're not hungry in my sport you're not going to do it for long because you're getting your head punched in. I hope Tevita has the same mindset (as I did) because it’s a totally different thing when you're getting punched in the face every day. There are times when you're going to get the sh*t beaten out of you."
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Johns has similar doubts over whether Pangai has the necessary commitment to make it in the most brutal of solo sports. And there's the potential loss of income, with the 27-year-old giving up his $750,000-a-year deal at the Bulldogs.
Matty Johns 'certain' Tevita Pangai will return to NRL
"I'm certain he will be back in the NRL. Boxing? What, (making) 10-15 grand a fight? It's a tough sport," Johns told Radio SEN. "The thing is with boxing - as opposed to a team sport where the better you get, the easier it gets - the better you get, the tougher it gets because they keep marching you up to fight better opponents."
Johns believes there is more to the Pangai career switch than a sportsman simply chasing a new challenge, hinting it may have been a mutual decision between player and club. "He (Pangai) must have had a discussion with (Canterbury boss) Gus (Gould) and (coach) Cameron Ciraldo. There must have been something," Johns said. "I can't believe he would go in purely on his own accord and say, 'I'm done'.
"There's been talk of salary cap pressure there and it's been a very difficult season - up and down as a lot of them have been for Tevita. And then there's the Origin situation (Pangai's controversial selection for Game I), so there's been a lot that's taken its toll."
Canterbury sit 15th with three matches to play as another disappointing season draws to an end. There was great expectation Ciraldo may lift the Dogs towards the finals this year but they will finish well short of the top eight for the seventh consecutive season.
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