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<\/p>\nPaul Gallen was in secret talks to throw down against WWE megastar Brock Lesnar at the height of his crossover career, with the NSW Origin great\u2019s promoter also convinced he could\u2019ve fought Jake Paul had their timelines crossed better.<\/p>\n
The shock revelation comes as Gallen is now readying to be ringside for Nelson Asofa-Solomona\u2019s hyped Australian heavyweight debut in Brisbane this Friday \u2013 and with Australia\u2019s No.1 promoter No Limit still keen for a future showdown between the pair.<\/p>\n
Only weeks after walking out on his $800,000-a-year deal with Melbourne Storm, Asofoa-Solomona is set to begin his new life as a professional on what shapes as a stacked Brisbane showcase this Friday night.<\/p>\n
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N. Tszyu vs Zerafa | Friday 16 Jan from 7pm AEDT | The trash talk and bitterness come to a head when Nikita Tszyu steps into the ring to face Michael Zerafa in one of the most anticipated fights in Australian boxing history. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\n Top 5 brutal Nikita Tszyu knockouts! | 15:51<\/p>\n Fighting before the great Australian grudge match that is Michael Zerafa vs Nikita Tszyu, 29-year-old NAS throws down against fellow NRL Old Boy Jeremy Latimore.<\/p>\n So heavily favoured is the former Stormer, talk has already turned to him potentially throwing down against Gallen, if the nation\u2019s heavyweight crossover king can be lured out of retirement one more time.<\/p>\n While Gallen is now 44, and twice retired from boxing, he is also only six months removed from an emphatic win over Sonny Bill Williams \u2013 which was tipped to be the exclamation point on a career that included massive fights against Justis Huni, Lucas Browne and Mark Hunt.<\/p>\n Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, No Limit CEO George Rose also revealed for the first time how close he came to landing Gallen a crossover blockbuster against Lesnar, the WWE icon who also spent two years as UFC heavyweight champion.<\/p>\n Among the most recognised athletes on the planet, Lesnar fought eight times in the UFC from 2008 — which included winning gold that same year against Hall Of Famer Randy Couture.<\/p>\n He then went and defended twice against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/p>\n ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know including full card<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018THAT\u2019S THE SCARY THING\u2019: Secret sparring session behind Fenech\u2019s shock Tszyu-Zerafa prediction<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018KNOCKED THE F*** OUT\u2019: Aussie champ\u2019s dire prediction on \u2018unproven\u2019 Tszyu<\/a><\/p>\n Paul Gallen in action against Sonny Bill Williams.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n Rose also said that if Gallen were right now enjoying the fight peak that saw him gross a reported $25 million across three years, he\u2019d be confident of landing the Cronulla premiership hero a bout with American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.<\/p>\n So what chance Asofa-Solomona, should he win Friday night as widely tipped, now tries to lure Gallen back for one more lucrative headliner?<\/p>\n Ironically, Gal is close friends with Latimore and will be part of the underdog\u2019s heavyweight support crew in Brisbane this Friday night.<\/p>\n Other former leaguies attending live to cheer the hugely popular Latimore on include James Graham, Jimmy Maloney, Dan Hunt and Tyson Frizell.<\/p>\n And while Rose has already suggested he doesn\u2019t think the NSW Origin great would have enough to contend with Big Nelson \u2013 \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s something Gal could handle\u201d \u2013 he also refuses to rule the showdown out.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause Paul Gallen fears absolutely no one,\u201d Rose said this week. \u201cIt\u2019s why he was so popular, the risks he took.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you know that at one stage, we were actually eyeing off a fight between him and Brock Lesnar \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Huh?<\/p>\n \u201cIt was after beating Mark Hunt from memory,\u201d Rose continued of his shock 2020 upset of another UFC heavyweight favourite.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd once Gal won that fight, it really was a case of \u2018f*** who can\u2019t he beat?\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cAt least in the crossover space.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich is when we started talking about Lesnar.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a point in time where Lesnar was coming down here with the WWE, so we had some talks. Were trying to see how we could work his visit in with a fight.<\/p>\n \u201cWe already knew Gal was in.<\/p>\n UFC turned WWE superstar Brock Lesnar.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he always said yes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was \u2018pay me, I\u2019ll fight him\u2019, because the guy literally feared no one.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, he was coming off a win against Mark Hunt, one of greatest knockout artists in the history of combat sports.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s crazy.<\/p>\n \u201cSame deal with fighting Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant in one night.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was absolutely nothing he wasn\u2019t willing to take on.<\/p>\n \u201cBut unfortunately we just couldn\u2019t get the timing with Brock to work out so the fight never happened.\u201d<\/p>\n Rose says that had their careers crossed over better, he also would\u2019ve been confident of making Gallen versus Jake Paul.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I know Jake recently fought Anthony Joshua and got beat, broke his jaw,\u201d the promoter said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut against any type of crossover fighter? Jake gives them all a run for their money.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Gal, he was exactly the same.<\/p>\n \u201cHe would\u2019ve done well against Jake and likely even had an opportunity had their careers aligned up.\u201d<\/p>\n Nikita not afraid ahead of Zerafa fight | 01:12<\/p>\n When it comes to Friday night\u2019s showdown, Gallen will be firmly part of Team Latimore, with the pair having packed down together with the Cronulla Sharks in 2017.<\/p>\n Latimore also revealed that he actually sparred against Gal prior during preparation for a fight last year, and when the retired Blues skipper looking to ready for his own return against SBW.<\/p>\n \u201cGal messaged me one day about doing some sparring,\u201d Latimore explained. \u201cIt was actually his first session back, and his bicep started playing up about halfway through.<\/p>\n \u201cBut early on, he hit me with a big overhand right. Wobbled me.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually didn\u2019t think Gal would be as powerful as he was.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you know, keg on legs. Works you to the body, then big overhand right.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he\u2019s a powerful guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about former NRL players fighting generally, and Latimore says: \u201cA guy like Gal generates so much interest.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the same now with big Nelson.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd hopefully I can play my role in derailing that hype train because the majority of people out there are saying \u2018f*** yeah, I want to see these guys fight\u2019.<\/p>\n