‘He’d walk through the heavyweight division’: Australian champion backs Nelson Asofa-Solomona for boxing switch

He’s a big bopper on the footy field, and one of Australia’s hottest boxing stars backs Nelson Asofa-Solomona to make an impact in the ring too.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona has been backed to make a switch to boxing. Picture: Supplied

He’s the Australian middleweight champion who has done rounds with Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa, so Mitch Leek knows boxing talent when he sees it.

And the 25-year-old rising star reckons Melbourne Storm front-rower Nelson Asofa-Solomona could easily make the switch to boxing full time if he wanted to.

Leek (11-0) fights Theo Dounias for the IBF youth middleweight world title on May 3, and has spent hours in the gym training alongside Asofa-Solomona.

‘Big NAS’ is on an even bigger money deal in Melbourne, but is off contract at the end of 2027 and has only played one game this season due to suspension and HIA protocols.

Leek thinks he could easily make the switch from footy field to boxing ring.

“He’s an absolute gentleman outside the ring, but inside it, he’s a different beast,” Leek told this masthead.

“He’s one of the hardest hitting, ferocious blokes.

“You don’t want to be in there squaring off with him. He’d be 120-odd kilos and six foot four or five, he’s a big, big man.

Asofa-Solomona beat Jarrod Wallace in 2023. Picture: Supplied

“But he can fight.

“He could, if he wanted to, hang up his rugby boots and put a set of gloves on and I think he’d walk through most of the Australian heavyweight boxing division.

“He’s a very, very talented boxer.”

Asofa-Solomona scored a brutal third round stoppage win over former Queensland Origin forward Jarrod Wallace in 2023 in his boxing debut.

Leek and Asofa-Solomona first met at Team Ellis Boxing Gym in Melbourne, and the fighter has had a firsthand example of how good he is.

“I’ve moved around little bits and pieces with him, and his power is incredible – obviously with the size of him – but also his movement and speed is at another level again,” Leek said.

Leek is the Australian middleweight champion. Picture: Supplied

“It’s something you don’t see that often in heavyweights, that they can hit hard, but they’re also quite elusive, loose and fast.

“He’s got the head movement, and the power, and you saw with his fight up in Townsville, he got that devastating knockout (over Wallace).

“He moves no different to we do, and it’s a credit to his athleticism and the work he puts into his craft with how athletic he is and how well he moves.

“That’s just hard work, he does his running and gets his weight down, does everything he can to be that athletic, fit and agile, and it pays off on the footy field and in the boxing ring.”

A country boy whose family has deep ties in horse racing, Leek first started boxing to help his own footy career – Aussie rules in his case.

“I would’ve been 15 or 16 and I started playing seniors football, and being a young kid back then, you get roughed up a bit,” he said. “Dad said I’ll have to learn how to fight because if one of these blokes come up and grab me, I’ll be in a bit of strife.

Leek scored arguably the biggest win of his career over Jack Brubaker last year. Picture: Supplied

“So, dad took me down to the gym and I just learned how to protect myself. I progressed and was actually okay at it before I kicked off with it in about 2018 when I turned 18.”

He takes the next step in his career against the 6-1 Dounias at the Melbourne Pavilion on May 3.

Ironically, Dounias’ dad was his very first trainer.

“He was my first proper coach, and I had my first amateur fights with him and kicked off my career,” Leek said.

“Turn the clock forward six or seven years and I’m fighting his son, who was one of my main sparring partners as a kid.

“It’s massive, and this is probably my biggest belt to date. It’s the same for him as well.

“It’s the biggest fight of both of our lives and it’s a proper full circle moment to be fighting one another in a fight like this after starting my career as a young pup.”

Originally published as ‘He’d walk through the heavyweight division’: Australian champion backs Nelson Asofa-Solomona for boxing switch