Ex-NRL beasts’ touching Arrow moment as NAS beatdown opens door to $1m Gal blockbuster

Nelson Asofa-Solomona has confirmed himself Australia’s new crossover king – and potentially secured a $1 million showdown with Paul Gallen – after earning a third straight career win against George Burgess.

In a Brisbane slobberknocker that proved wonderfully entertaining, if not exactly technical, Asofa-Solomona had Burgess rocked, and against the ropes in the third when the hulking Englishman’s corner threw in the towel ahead of Liam Paro’s epic win

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Burgess is believed to have torn his left pectoral during the fight.

Immediately after the bout, both former NRL enforcers paid tribute to South Sydney’s Jai Arrow, who has only recently revealed his battle with motor neurone disease.

While being interviewed in the ring by Main Event’s Ben Damon, NAS removed his fight trunks and said he would be auctioning them online with all proceeds going to Arrow, with Burgess then suggesting he would do the same. “He’s fighting a bigger fight than us,” Burgess said, having lost his father Mark to the same disease. “And we’re all behind him.”

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After having already defeated fellow leaguies Jeremy Latimore and Jarrod Wallace, Asofa-Solomona is now angling for a showdown against NSW Origin great Gallen.

Speaking with Fox Sports this week, No Limit boss George Rose confirmed discussions are already underway for the fight – with Gal requesting a $1 million purse for the showdown.

Gallen, of course, boasts a strong boxing resume that includes wins against Lucas Browne, Mark Hunt and Sonny Bill Williams, while almost going the distance in an Australian heavyweight title fight against Justis Huni.

Asofa-Solomona, meanwhile, has made short work of his rivals – with Burgess now the latest name to join his list of victims.

But geez, the son of streetfighter, and grandson of a bare-knuckle streetfighter, and great grandson of a bare-knuckle streetfighter had a crack.

Walking to the ring first, South Sydney’s premiership hero was accompanied by popular Aussie singer Conrad Sewell, who belted out Firestone all the way into the squared circle at Pat Rafter Arena.

Wearing a purple and gold sleeveless robe, with matching trunks, Burgess also carried the name ‘Butch’ on his gear in tribute to his streetfighting grandfather.

Big Nasty, meanwhile, was accompanied in his walkout by a lone guitarist pumping out Jon Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer.

As usual he was decked out in black trunks and sleeveless robe.

While Burgess came into this one with nobody knowing how well he could fight, it was his right hand that landed heavy early in a show of real promise.

And from there? Well, things got a little, err, chaotic. And immediately, as both men swung wildly, missed, grinned, swung some more, before Big Nasty landed, and again, this time with a big right that wobbled Burgess, who – somehow – recovered and saw out the round.

Wonderfully, Round 2 started where the first finished; with NAS this time landing better first, popping the jab, before Burgess returned fire, then appeared to trouble the betting favourite, before copping it again himself, then pushing NAS into the corner, while bleeding from over his left eye now, and then copping it again .. bang, bang … ding, ding.

While Nelson, undeniably through the opening six minutes, was getting the better of proceedings, Burgess was still enjoying moments – which every time drew cheers from the crowd. And at one point, a chant of “Georgie … Georgie … Georgie …”

Round three though was all NAS, who was landing early, including with a huge right which, somehow, Burgess ate, before ‘Big Nasty’ poured it on, almost pushing his rival out of the ring, and then landing again … which is when the towel was thrown.