Parramatta prop Junior Paulo sheds kilos to give himself a fighting chance in 2021

Parramatta’s Junior Paulo will start the 2021 rugby league season at a career low but that doesn’t mean the big bopper can’t still make an impact.

Eels prop Junior Paulo is ready for the All Stars Rugby League Fight Night in Townsville on February 12. Picture: Toby Zerna

Parramatta powerhouse Junior Paulo is looking to play under 120kg for the first time in six years thanks to respected Australian boxing coach Justin Fitzgerald.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Paulo is currently training five days a week with Fitzgerald as he prepares to face retired Queensland Origin forward Neville Costigan at an All Stars Footy Fight Night on February 12 in Townsville.

Currently the striking coach for UFC superstar Robert Whittaker, Fitzgerald also trained two-time world champion Sakio Biko out of his Minto boxing gym.

A close family friend of Paulo, he also helped the Eels prop prepare for his 2016 pro boxing debut against Paul Gallen.

For that preparation however, the Eels bookend arrived at his first training session weighing 131kg.

Yet this time around, and coming off his first campaign as a NSW Origin player, the 27-year-old is already 10kg lighter.

Better, Paulo not only plans to get as low as 115kg for the All Stars event in Townsville, but has considered staying at 118kg for the NRL season opener.

Eels prop Junior Paulo trains at Stand Strong Boxing gym in Minto ahead of the All Stars Rugby League Fight Night in Townsville on February 12. Picture: Toby Zerna

Which would be some overhaul, right?

“Last time I played under a buck twenty would be 2014,” Paulo recounts, grinning.

“But with this fight coming up, I really want to work hard and cut weight because I know it’s only going to be beneficial for next season.

“Under the new rule changes, the game is definitely getting faster.

“And I need to adapt.

“This year was the lightest I’ve been for a while – around 123kg – and it felt really comfortable.

“There was a lot of talk about if there was still be a place in footy for the big boys – people saying we’d struggle – so I worked really hard to adapt.

“I’ve always had a big motor and knew it would just be about pushing myself in games.

“But to shed a couple more kilos again won’t do any harm. I definitely want to come into the 2021 season fitter and stronger again.”

Paulo and Neville Costigan are ready to go toe-to-toe. Picture: Evan Morgan

Which isn’t exactly great news for Costigan.

Indeed, when Paulo made his heavyweight debut over three rounds at the Hordern Pavilion, the Eels prop landed several heavy bombs on Gallen in the second round.

However, he now admits a lack of experience took its toll as the man who only recently upset cult UFC legend Mark Hunt rallied in the third to earn a points win.

Asked about the loss, Paulo says: “Coming into that fight, it was the fittest I’d ever been.

“But then on the night, the raw emotion of being my first fight, massive crowd, the top of a Pay-Per-View event … I was just wigging out.

“But still by the end, I remember wanting to do it again.

“Wanting to chase the adrenaline rush and that feeling of challenging yourself.”

Enter Fitzgerald.

Paulo carts it up for the Eels in 2020. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Asked about training the Eels’ No. 10 off the back of an outstanding NRL season, he said: “We aren’t treating this as a footy fight”.

“Of course, Junior is a footballer,” he said.

“But from the moment he walks into the gym, he’s a fighter preparing for a bout in February. So he trains like a professional heavyweight.”

So as for what fight fans can expect this time out?

“Junior has plenty of natural ability, just like you’d expect a halfback in a front-rower’s body,” he said.

“Good hands, good feet – and he dropped a couple of sparring partners last preparation.

“But he also works incredibly hard.

“And this time around, he’s really hit the ground running.

“For the Gallen fight, we had to strip off 16 kilos.

“But not having to focus on the weight loss this time, it will make a big difference. We can work more on his skills while also developing a few strategies for the fight.

“And Junior, he’s also a really quick learner.”

Initially for the All Stars card, Paulo was slated to fight Canberra wrecking ball Josh Papalii.

However, the small matter of them being great mates eventually saw that match-up scrapped.

“First time I heard about it was in Origin camp,” Paulo explained.

“A reporter told me before game one that I was fighting Josh.

“I said ‘really? This is the first time I’ve heard this’.

“So I gave Josh a ring that arvo and we had a good laugh about it.

“But to fight, we’re just too close as mates. That would be unfair to the people watching.

“We don’t want to spar and mess around. We both want to hop in the ring and really have a fight.”