‘Funny story that’: Burgess busted over viral bush footy moment; Jake Paul’s Aussie fight plan

This is Fox Sports Australia’s combat sports column Fighting Words, where we give you all the latest news and views in MMA and boxing, from Australia and abroad.

George Burgess has adopted a slightly, err, unique preparation for his hyped showdown against Australia’s crossover king Nelson Asofa-Solomona — steamrolling school principals in far North Queensland.

Speaking with Fighting Words this week, Burgess has explained his surprise decision to break from fight camp only weeks out from his professional debut and play a Legends of League game in the small bush community of Weipa, population 4097.

While Burgess had planned to sneak last weekend’s charity event in without anyone, including promoters No Limit becoming aware, a pair of Instagram clips involving the big fella have since gone viral … and with good reason.

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In each of the two clips, Burgess — who throws down against Asofa-Solomona in Brisbane on June 24 — is captured making a pair of charging carries.

The most impressive of which, of which sees him completely steamroll a hapless Weipa winger who, after eating the Englishman’s shoulder, then goes flying, stiffens, gets trampled, and effectively finishes up a white chalk outline.

“Although funny story with that guy,” Burgess cackles. “Day before the game, we did a school visit and that same fella was the principal, who during assembly told the whole school how he was going to get me in the game. Of course, I thought he was joking …”

He wasn’t.

“So very first run I had,” Burgess grins, “he gets me in the throat with a swinging arm. Of course, all the kids from the school were there on the sideline for the game, too, so I thought to myself ‘alright, that one is in the memory bank’.

“Then later when I got the chance, I made a beeline for him and gave the kids something to laugh about …”

Didn’t he what?

Thankfully though, our man survived. Same deal Burgess, who despite being whacked heavily himself in the second clip, eventually came away unscathed from a match that also featured the likes of Sam Thaiday, Darren Smith, Ben Hannant, and John Hopoate.

Although not before playing close to 60 minutes in the middle.

“And to be fair, the principal was a great sport,” Burgess said. “We got a picture together after the game and all the kids had a great laugh which is what these things are all about.

“It’s getting into these First Nations communities who don’t usually get access to players, visiting the schools and so on. And having had it booked in for a while, I really didn’t want to withdraw.

“Plus, I thought it would be a quiet charity game that nobody else knew about. That’s how these things usually go.

“But this time around, the local guys decided to go a little harder than they usually do. And given we had a lot of older guys, like Cliffy Lyons was playing … [laughs] well, I had to step up for the lads.”

JAKE PAUL’S SHOCK TALKS FOR AUSSIE FIGHT

American superstar Jake Paul is in shock discussions to bring a blockbuster crossover fight to Australia within the year – with his team buoyed by the 56,000 fans who attended Ronda Rousey’s UFC blockbuster in Melbourne over a decade ago.

Speaking with Fighting Words this week, MVP boss Nakisa Bidarian confirmed whispers suggesting Paul – who is currently recovering from a brutal December stoppage loss against Anthony Joshua – could headline an event Down Under by 2027.

In fact, the promoter revealed he has already opened talks with Australian broadcasters regarding a Sunday showcase that can be beamed into US prime time.

“So we’ve already asked our friends at Fox Sports to have a think about everything, then come back to us on how we make it happen,” Bidarian said. “Because I’ve made it very clear we’d love to be there. And on a Sunday, going into US prime time … that would be ideal.”

Earlier this month, MVP promoted Rousey’s hyped comeback fight against Gina Carano which, while lasting only 17 seconds, became the most watched MMA fight ever in America.

Way back in 2015, Rousey also set the largest live gate in UFC history for her hyped Melbourne showdown against Holly Holm – a fight which, surprisingly, saw her finished via brutal headkick.

And it is those numbers that have Team Paul convinced an Australian showdown works.

“Because Australia’s sports market is the best in the world, pound for pound,” Bidarian continued. “You look at Ronda versus Holly Holm; two ladies who had nothing to do with Australia and still hold the record for most tickets sold by women to a combat sports event.”

Tellingly, Paul’s Australian push is being fuelled, in part, by the growing number of Australian female fighters signed to the MVP stable – most notably Australia’s undisputed bantamweight queen Cherneka Johnson.

Elsewhere, MVP also boast longtime fan favourite Ebonie Bridges, plus Queenslander Desley Robinson, who defends her IBF and WBO middleweight titles against Mary Spencer in the US this weekend.

‘HE AIN’T HIS DAD’: TRAINERS’ BRUTAL TSZYU CALL

Two prominent American boxing trainers have delivered a brutal prediction for Tim Tszyu ahead of his blockbuster showdown with Errol Spence Jr — warning the Aussie pay-per-view king won’t just lose, but get stopped.

As anticipation builds for the July 26 clash in Australia, respected voices across the boxing world have begun weighing in on one of the most interesting fights of 2026.

Renowned trainer Robert Garcia has already said he is backing Tszyu, while also praising the Australian’s decision to link up with legendary former world champion Jeff Fenech.

But predictably, most American trainers are siding with “The Truth” – including Gervonta Davis’ trainer Kenny Ellis.

“I think Errol Spence is going to stop Tim Tszyu,” Ellis told MillCity Boxing. “I think people think he’s like his dad, but he ain’t like his dad. That fight ain’t going past five f***ing rounds.

“But then again, I don’t know because of Errol’s situation. I just keep thinking about that head trauma he had in the car accident. I wish him the best. I’m going with Errol Spence.”

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Spence’s return is one of boxing’s biggest storylines after the former welterweight king spent years out of the ring following his crushing loss to Terence Crawford and ongoing concerns surrounding the aftermath of his horror car crash.

Another highly respected American trainer, Derek “Bozy” Ennis – father and coach of Jaron “Boots” Ennis – also believes Spence will impress.

“I think that’s going to be a good fight,” Ennis told YSM Sports Media. “They’re sleeping on my man Spence. I think Spence is going to do what he’s supposed to do.

“And he’s fighting a guy that can really fight. I’m not saying he’s a good boxer, but he comes to fight. This is going to be a good test for Spence and I think Spence is going to do well.

When asked if Spence’s recent move to train with Ronnie Shields was a good idea, Ennis nodded.

“Ronnie, he’s one of the best trainers in the world. He’s old school, like me,” he said. “I think somebody is getting stopped – and I’m going with Spence.”

‘HE’LL WALK THROUGH TIM TSZYU’: US STAR’S BIG WARNING

American fight favourite Regis Prograis is another tipping Tszyu to get demolished.

Speaking with The Punch Podcast this week, the former two division world champion warned that when it comes to the biggest fight of Tszyu’s career on July 26 he’s tipping “Spence via landslide”.

“Listen, bro, if it’s the old Errol Spence he should walk through Tim Tszyu,” Prograis said.

“But we don’t know what Errol Spence we’re going to get. Errol has been off a long time. And sometimes when you’re rich it makes you a little soft. I don’t know how it’s made Errol Spence but the old Errol Spence was a killer bro.

“A lot of people just forget. I hate that about boxing. People forget who Errol Spence really was. He was a dog. A real killer in the ring. And if the old Errol comes back … I’ve got Errol Spence by landslide.

PARO EMBRACES ‘CROC HUNTER’

Australia’s Liam Paro is said to be going all in on his new ‘Croc Hunter’ nickname, with whispers the fight kit he wears into the ring against IBF welterweight king Lewis Crocker could even channel no less than Crocodile Dundee.

No stranger to a good time, Paro has confirmed to Fighting Words this week he is planning a special fight night outfit for his headliner against Irishman Crocker — aka Croc — in Brisbane on June 24.

“And I have got a surprise,” he confirmed. “But as for what the kit will be? Everyone will just have to wait until the night …”

Asked for a hint, Paro grinned: “Let’s just say it’s something very Australian.

“And why not? Because to have a fight here in Australia against someone called the Croc, mate, you have to go with The Croc Hunter.

“Because when am I ever going to get this opportunity again? It won’t happen. So that’s why I’m now ready to prove Australia really is the land of the Croc hunters”.

But as for ever having met the late, great Steve Irwin?

“Never got to meet him, no,” he said of the man known globally as The Crocodile Hunter. “But I do remember the day he passed away, being picked up from primary school and hearing the news. It was a real big thing for everyone.

“And as a kid, I always watched those Steve Irwin videos. The guy was a legend. Same with going all the way back to Crocodile Dundee … it’s just so deep in Australian culture that I have to run with this.”

In his interview with The Punch Podcast meanwhile, Regis Prograis also tipped Paro against Crockersaying: “Man, that’s a real good fight and I think Liam should pull that off.

“With Lewis Crocker, I’ve told my manager ‘bro,I could come back at 47 and get Lewis Crocker’. I’m not going to do it. I was just talking s***. But I do feel like I could be champion again if I really wanted to … I just don’t feel like training camp. That’s why I don’t want to do it. But the crazy thing is, me and Liam Paro have the same manager — Brian Peters. And I said ‘Brian I could beat him’, so he probably told Liam ‘man, Regis said he could beat him, I know you can beat him’. It’s a good fight and I hope Liam pulls it off.”

UFC FIGHTER DEFEATED BY … COWS

Australia’s Jake Matthews is carrying a pair of busted up hands into this Sunday’s UFC Fight Night event in Macau, China – and it has nothing to do with any sparring issues during camp.

“No, it’s my cows,” he laughs.

Huh?

“Have a look at them,” Matthews cackled this week, showing us a pair of scratched up hands via zoom from his Macau hotel room.

“I’ve got a small hobby farm, five acres, that’s about 50 minutes north of Melbourne. And my cows … yeah, they’re escape artists. And escape artists who weigh half a tonne.

“So whenever they get out, it then takes me forever to get them back again. And even once they’re back, I have to then go and redo all the fences.

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“So you look at my hands at the moment, they’ve got cuts all over them. That’s from the fencing … it’s the one job I resent most on the farm.”

After enduring a controversial loss last September against American Neil Magny in Perth, Matthews is now looking to bounce back immediately on the UFC Fight Night card against Carlston Harris.

BOBBY KNUCKLES REACTS TO MAIN CARD SNUB

For the first time in more than a decade, Australian UFC great Robert Whittaker is heading back to unfamiliar territory – the preliminary card.

The former middleweight champ is scheduled to face Nikita Krylov on the prelims of the International Fight Week card in Las Vegas in July, despite being one of Australia’s biggest MMA names and a former UFC titleholder.

Many Aussie fans were left stunned after the fight order was revealed, but Whittaker says he understands.

“Well, it’s different,” Whittaker told Submission Radio.

“I haven’t been in a prelim fight for a long time. I don’t know. On paper, intellectually, you look at it, it makes sense-ish.

“My first move up to 205, coming back after a big layoff. I’m looking forward to getting back in there. Honestly, the silver lining is that I get to get my fight out of the way a little bit earlier.

“I hate those late nights, they kill me a little bit. Honestly, it’s just about getting in there and getting to business.

“I want to get in there, and I want to execute all of the things that I’ve been working on up until now, I want to feel myself out, I want to feel how the fight feels. Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

The last time Bobby Knuckles appeared on a prelims card was at UFC 160 in 2013, when the event was headlined by Cain Velasquez vs Antonio Silva.

PADDY PIMBLETT BLASTS CRITICS AFTER WEIGHT GAIN

‘The Baddy’ is facing another hefty weight cut ahead of his fight with Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 in Las Vegas in seven weeks.

Pimblett, who is known for ballooning up between fights, revealed this week that he is currently around 190 pounds (86kg), meaning he will need to shed roughly 34 pounds (15kg) to hit the 156-pound limit.

“I know you always think I’m a fat b*****d, but the weight is actually sound,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel.

“You can all think what you want. You have all these stupid dieticians and ‘fight’ dieticians posting pictures of me…

“F*** you all, you gang of bums. You can’t even make your own fighters make weight.”