He said he was done. He isn’t.
Australian sporting icon and crossover star Paul Gallen will step back through the ropes to face his biggest opponent to date, unbeaten heavyweight and former rugby league wrecking ball Nelson Asofa-Solomona, in Sydney, on Friday, November 6.
Gallen walked away from the sport as a respected 16-2-1 pugilist, who famously defeated a world heavyweight champion in Lucas Browne, a UFC legend in Mark Hunt, twice fought for the Australian heavyweight title and never once ducked a fight.
Now he’s walking straight into the most dangerous and scariest puncher he’s faced in his return, a monster who outweighs him by more than 30 kilograms, stands roughly 20 centimetres taller, and who has flattened every single opponent put in front of him.
‘Big Nasty’ has had three fights. Three knockouts. None have gone the distance. Now the largest and heaviest hitting puncher in the country is standing across the ring from the man who is the king of crossover boxing, Paul Gallen.
Don’t miss your chance to witness another unmissable night of boxing live in Sydney and sign up to NoLimitBoxing.com.au today to receive the exclusive information on where and when pre-sale tickets will go on sale.
The event is promoted by Australia’s leading boxing promotion, No Limit Boxing and is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
No Limit Boxing CEO, George Rose said: “This is the fight the whole country’s been waiting for and nobody saw it coming. Gal walked away on his terms after beating Sonny Bill. Now he’s walking back in against the one of the most dangerous and destructive punchers we’ve ever put into a ring in this country.”
“Nelson knocks guys out. Gal knows that, but he’s stepping in anyway. That tells you everything you need to know about who Paul Gallen is. Crazy, committed and unmistakingly unmissable. He’s long reigned as the king of crossover boxing for a reason.”
GALLEN VS. ASOFA-SOLOMONA
Gallen (16-2-1, 8 KOs) retired from boxing in 2025 on the back of a career that redefined what a crossover athlete could achieve in the ring. A rugby league great who captained Cronulla and represented NSW and Australia at the highest level, Gallen knocked out former WBA heavyweight world champion Lucas Browne in one round, outpointed UFC icon Mark Hunt, and closed the book on his boxing career win over long-time rival Sonny Bill Williams. Now he’s tearing that book back open against the biggest opponent to date.
Asofa-Solomona (3-0, 3 KOs) has needed just three fights to establish himself as the most destructive rookie heavyweight in the country. Standing 200 centimetres and weighing more than 130 kilograms, he’s taller than Usyk, Joshua and Dubois, and heavier than all of them, Fury included, even at Fury’s career heaviest fight weight. On November 6, he gets his shot at the biggest name of his career.
Paul Gallen Said: “I said months ago his test would come later on. Well, later on is November 6, Nelson. Wake up. Five years ago you wouldn’t have laid a glove on me and now you think you can get me? You’re kidding yourself, mate. He’s smashed a couple of blokes who’d never had a real fight in their life, good luck to him for that. But I’ve shared a ring with a world champion. I’ve out-classed guys a hundred times better than Nelson. I don’t go in there with anything to lose, he’s got everything to lose. November 6 we find out if he was right, and it’s not going the way he thinks.”
Nelson Asofa-Solomona said: “Everyone wants to talk about my boxing IQ and experience. Let’s see how much that matters when I land one on his jaw. I’m happy for him to keep living in the past, talking about blokes he beat years ago, because I don’t care what he did five years ago. I care about November 6. Enjoy the build up and all the memories, old boy. Come fight night, there’ll be a new memory for everyone. Sadly, you won’t remember it though.”
