Roosters premiership hero Siosiua Taukeiaho has been hailed the person to exchange Paul Gallen as Australia’s subsequent crossover boxing star – if solely anyone would battle him.
Now simply seven days out from Gallen’s hyped heavyweight boxing farewell, promoters No Limit are nonetheless looking the nation for somebody to throw down with Taukeiaho in his skilled debut.
Wonderfully dubbed ‘TKO’ for the facility in his fingers, the two-time premiership prop is determined to battle on the November 23 card set to be headlined by Origin rivals Gallen and Justin Hodges.
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As a part of preparations, the 30-year-old has even spent the previous month in England mixing his Tongan Rugby League World Cup marketing campaign with coaching periods on the gymnasium of Martin Murray, the nation’s former WBA middleweight champ.
Problem is, phrase of these periods – and the facility possessed by the brand new Catalans Dragons signing – has apparently unfold proper all through the NRL ranks, with promoter George Rose revealing even heavyweights with fights already to their identify have knocked again approaches to oppose the debutant.
“So he’s the footballer nobody wants to fight,” Rose laughed this week when quizzed in regards to the Tongan World Cup star.
“We’ve had Sio pencilled in to fight on Paul Gallen’s undercard, but no one is stepping up to the plate.
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“We’ve hit up a heap of NRL players who have talked tough — as well as professional boxers too — but we still can’t get him a fight.
“It’s pretty ridiculous really.
“He hasn’t even fought professionally yet. And we’re giving somebody the best platform you could ask for as a fighter.”
With Gallen set to hold up the gloves for good after the Hodges bout, Rose stated No Limit Boxing was eager to search out one other preventing footballer with real Pay-Per-View enchantment.
It comes not solely per week out from the Cronulla premiership hero’s farewell, however with Sonny Bill Williams having additionally been kayoed by UFC nice Mark Hunt in his most up-to-date outing.
Despite being thought of an enormous favorite in opposition to Hunt, now aged 48, Williams was stopped by the ‘Walkoff KO King’ within the fourth spherical of their bout.
So what probability then the fighter dubbed TKO?
Back in 2019, NRL followers appeared set for a showcase of Taukeiaho’s punching energy when he now famously took a swing at towering Melbourne enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona on the opening play of the SCG preliminary closing.
Sadly, the pair have been rapidly separated after which sin binned, with Gallen saying in Channel Nine commentary that the punishment had taken “the natural justice out of the game”.
Four years on and the Tongan powerhouse is now being dubbed as the person to take Gallen’s place in boxing headliners.
Yet with seemingly nobody eager to take him on, Rose has now thrown the problem out to each NRL participant — and even heavyweights usually — within the hope anyone with comparable expertise will step up.
“Gal is leaving the boxing game after his rematch with Hodgo, so someone has to step up to the plate,” Rose stated.
“And it’s a massive opportunity — find the next Paul Gallen on his own undercard.
“But they have to be quick.
“If anyone out there thinks they can take down ‘TKO’ Taukeiaho then hit me up ASAP.”
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Speaking with Fox Sports Australia a fortnight in the past, Taukeiaho stated that whereas he has been making ready for his boxing crossover since June, the affiliation with Murray solely materialised a day earlier than departing for England.
The prop stated it was throughout a gathering with boxing supervisor Pete Mitrevski, who oversees the likes of rising stars Harry Garside and Sam Goodman, that he determined to take a battle this yr.
Taukeiaho says Mitrevski praised his energy and pace, stressing it was each bit nearly as good as Australia’s fellow footballers-turned-fighters.
“And I’ve been told a few times by guys holding pads that I have power,” the prop conceded when pushed on his dialog with supervisor who was himself a former boxer.
“But I just thought trainers say that to all their fighters.
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“But the day before flying out for the World Cup, I just did a session with Pete — pads, bag work, stuff like that — and afterwards we had a good chat about me taking this seriously because of my power and speed.
“Previously, I’ve never taken boxing seriously. It was more about keeping fit for footy season.
“But Pete said I could do things in the sport. And after hearing that, it made me realise this could be a good opportunity to test myself, chase the dream.”
After eight years and 168 video games for the Roosters — together with consecutive NRL premierships from 2018 — the prop is headed to French membership Catalans for 2023.