NRL fight night: Nelson Asofa-Solomona destroys sparring partners in warm up for boxing debut against Jarrod Wallace

He is the NRL’s biggest man at 200cm and 131kg. Now Nelson Asofa-Solomona is ready for his boxing debut and he has left a trail of destruction in preparation for his big night out.

Melbourne Storm giant Nelson Asofa-Solomona has bashed four opponents and left one sparring rival with a broken arm in a frightening build-up to his boxing debut on Saturday night.

Rugby league’s biggest man mountain Asofa-Solomona is primed to unleash six minutes of hell on Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace in an NRL fight night at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.

The eight-fight card will feature a number of current and former NRL stars, including Junior Paulo, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Tevita Pangai Jnr, Justin Hodges, Ben Hannant and Cowboys hometown hero Jason Taumalolo.

But the bout that promises the most fireworks is Wallace’s heavyweight showdown with Asofa-Solomona, the 200cm Melbourne monster who tipped the scales at 131.6kg at Friday’s weigh-in.

Melbourne Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona is a scary sight in the ring.

If the Storm enforcer’s preparation is any barometer, Asofa-Solomona could emulate Paul Gallen by making millions in the fight game.

Gallen made a successful conversion from NRL star to pay-per-view boxing attraction and Asofa-Solomona’s trainer, Jake Ellis, gave an insight into the carnage the Storm prop has wreaked in the ring ahead of his much-vaunted boxing baptism.

“The power in his hands is just phenomenal,” said Jake, the son of Australian boxing legend Lester Ellis.

“We’ve had about half-a-dozen spars over the last six or seven weeks and everyone Nelson has sparred he has either knocked out, cut open or we’ve had broken bones.

“He was sparring one kid. He threw an uppercut and it hit the kid’s forearm so hard that his arm just snapped completely.

Asofa-Solomona is keen to emulate by mixing football with boxing.

“I have never seen an uppercut break someone‘s arm in half.

“I’ve worked with a lot of professional boxers, including Michael Zerafa (Australia’s world-title contender at middleweight), but I’ve never seen a guy Nelson’s size do the stuff he is able to do.

“There’s a lot of hype, but he is a frightening prospect.”

Underlining Asofa-Solomona‘s monstrous size, the Kiwi Test enforcer is more than 30 pounds heavier than fellow NRL hulks Paulo (115.5kg), Taumalolo (116.5kg), Pangai Jnr (117.2kg) and Campbell-Gillard (117.3kg).

Wallace weighed in at 111.95kg — 20kg lighter than NAS — and Ellis warned the former Queensland Origin prop to brace for three rounds of pain, if he lasts that long.

“I think Nelson can knock out Wallace,” Ellis said. “He will be doing well to see out the third round.

“Nelson has thrown himself into boxing the last eight weeks and if I had to sum him up in a few words, he is a force of nature.

“He is fast. He has a great eye. Very athletic, very good shape, he can click out one of the best jabs I have seen. He is a huge man.

Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace will take on Asofa-Solomona in the ring.

“It’s scary how he can generate so much power and that, along with his eye and his rangy jab, makes him incredible.

“I would be very surprised if Nelson wasn’t at that national title level in the first 18 to 24 months if he really applied himself.

“From there, the world is his oyster in boxing.”

Asofa-Solomona admires heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and he looks every bit the NRL’s version of the ‘Gypsy King’ as he vowed to monster Wallace.

“Jarrod is a big guy, too, but anyone who gets in front of me I am going to do a job on them,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter who is in front of me.

“I’m ready to go. I’m really excited to show what I have been working on for the last few months.

“I would like to say I can make a career out of it. I am passionate about boxing. It makes me feel alive when I‘m in there.

“At the moment, I‘m a football player and very happy at the Storm, but down the track hopefully I can keep boxing.

“This is a cracking card. You won’t see too many events where there are so many NRL players fighting on the same night.”

Wallace said he can’t wait to throw down with Asofa-Solomona.

“I can’t box like Nelson, but I will turn it into a dogfight, a war and I expect a few punches to land on him,” he said.

“When the bell goes, it’s six minutes of action.

“If he throws 10 punches, I’ll throw 20.

“At the end of the day, there’s some big boys in the ring throwing some bombs, so a knockout is possible.”

Originally published as NRL fight night: Nelson Asofa-Solomona destroys sparring partners in warm up for boxing debut against Jarrod Wallace