![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\nThis is Fox Sports Australia\u2019s combat sports column Fighting Words, where we give you all the latest news and views in MMA and boxing, from Australia and abroad.<\/p>\n
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has received a shock offer to throw down against Australia\u2019s most hyped heavyweight prospect, with undefeated Olympian Teremoana Jnr declaring: \u201cOh, I\u2019m up for that fight, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the eve of his Easter Sunday showdown against Jarrod Wallace, Asofa-Solomona has had a surprise new name added to a list of potential rivals including Paul Gallen, George Burgess, Matt Lodge, and Curtis Scott. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Teremoana declared himself keen to throw down against the Melbourne Storm premiership hero, suggesting an all-Australian showdown between the pair would be \u201ca great fight for Australian fans\u201d. <\/p>\n
Only two years younger than \u2018Big Nasty\u2019, the 28-year-old Campbelltown product is on a run of 10 KO wins \u2013 with eight coming within the first round \u2013 and has already been dubbed a future world champ by promoter Eddie Hearn.<\/a><\/p>\n Tszyu vs Nurja | Sunday 5 April from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu looks to continue his boxing resurgence as he takes on Albanian Denis Nurja. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\n Aussie delivers ‘SCARY’ round 1 KO | 00:29<\/p>\n So as for taking on a man quickly making his own name as Australia\u2019s crossover king?<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I\u2019m up for that fight, definitely,\u201d Teremoana Jnr said, adding he is willing to fight the former NRL star as soon as his next fight in April, with his promoters Matchroom still yet to announce an opponent.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that fight would actually be a great one for Australian fans.<\/p>\n \u201cThere would be a lot of eyes on that one.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, I\u2019ll fight anyone, whoever they put in front of me \u2026 but, yeah, I\u2019d love that fight\u201d.<\/p>\n And as for how quickly he reckons the end would come?<\/p>\n \u201cHow fast do I knock him out? Dunno,\u201d the heavyweight grinned. \u201cBecause I never know.<\/p>\n \u201cI never go out there trying to take my opponents out in the first round.<\/p>\n \u201cMy plan is to be patient, use my skill, my athleticism \u2026 [laughs] I just also really like to crack on and have a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Nelson Asofa-Solomona.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Teremoana needed less than three minutes to finish Curtis Harper, unleashing a brutal right hand that stiffened the American as he fell, and then left him sprawled out on the canvas.<\/p>\n Asofa-Solomona, meanwhile, has also been making headlines thanks to his own brutal KO win over Jeremy Latimore on debut in January.<\/p>\n Better, the 130kg enforcer is promising another highlight reel stoppage against Wallace this Sunday, with Rabbitohs Old Boy Burgess then understood to be next on a list eventually leading to NSW Origin great Gallen.<\/p>\n Given Asofa-Solomona is still only one fight into his professional career, it\u2019s unlikely a bout against the far more experienced Teremoana happens anytime soon.<\/p>\n Teremona registers terrifying KO | 00:29<\/p>\n For context, Gallen famously went undefeated through 10 fights before then embarking on the incredible run that was Mark Hunt, Lucas Browne and, eventually, Justis Huni.<\/p>\n However, with Asofa-Solomona having signed a three-year deal with No Limit, the hulking Melburnian has big plans in boxing which includes, soon enough, going after the Australian heavyweight title.<\/p>\n Ironically, Teremoana is already chasing the same strap \u2013 and as soon as his next fight.<\/p>\n With Hearn\u2019s Matchroom Boxing set to stage the first of seven domestic shows in Melbourne this April, Teremoana has already been announced for a card headlined by Skye Nicolson defending here WBC interim super bantamweight crown against Mariah Turner.<\/p>\n While no opponent has yet been announced for the now Queensland-based slugger, he\u2019s already called out Australia\u2019s heavyweight champ Stevan Ivic, plus Liam Talivaa and Ben Sila.<\/p>\n \u201cI really want the Australian title,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s that fight I\u2019ve been asking for, and asking for a while, too.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a few good boys here that I\u2019ve called out.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m confident that whoever I step into the ring with, I\u2019ll take of them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s exciting times right now.<\/p>\n \u201cMy plan is to headline some Matchroom shows here, then headline all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018IS HE BIG ENOUGH?\u2019: TSZYU\u2019S BIG SCALES DRAMA<\/p>\n American boxing great Paulie Malignaggi says Tim Tszyu is undeniably world class, but questions if \u2018The Phoenix\u2019 is simply competing at the wrong time to ever be world champion again \u2013 including if he moves up to middleweight.<\/p>\n It comes as the man who first broke news of Tszyu\u2019s impending blockbuster against Errol Spence Jnr is now tipping the fight to be held Down Under, saying: \u201cI\u2019m hearing Australia, which is where the fight should be\u201d. <\/p>\n Jetting into Sydney this week to work commentary for Tszyu\u2019s Easter Sunday showdown against Denis Nurja, Malignaggi says he\u2019s still undecided on who wins between the Aussie and Spence \u2013 and if the former world champ can ever regain super welterweight gold.<\/p>\n Malignaggi also questioned if Tszyu can even become world champion a weight class higher, saying: \u201cIs he big enough to be a middleweight? Looking at him, I\u2019m not sure \u2026 it\u2019s tricky\u201d.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, the American told this column Tszyu is definitely making the right play by taking a warm up bout in preparation for Spence, and says the US superstar has likely erred by not doing the same himself.<\/p>\n Paul Malignaggi.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n After years of campaigning at super welterweight, Tszyu is this Sunday fighting for the WBO International middleweight strap, and has hinted he may make the move to middleweight fulltime following his Spence blockbuster \u2013 which is already agreed so long as he wins in Wollongong.<\/p>\n Asked if Tszyu can be world champion again, Malignaggi said: \u201cI think Tszyu is good enough to be champion again, and I do think he\u2019s world class.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s a very tough weight class he\u2019s in.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd sometimes [your success] can come down to the generation you\u2019re born in. <\/p>\n \u201cRight now, at junior middleweight, it really is tricky.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got Sebastian Fundora, who Tim has already seen twice.<\/p>\n \u201cThen whoever wins between Xander Zayas and Boots Ennis is no joke either.<\/p>\n \u201cThen there\u2019s [new IBF champ] Josh Kelly, who may be seen as a soft touch.<\/p>\n \u201cBut Kelly at one time was being hyped up a lot. And while he underperformed initially, he\u2019s now finally come around.<\/p>\n \u201cSo is he really that soft? I mean, that was a good win he had over Bakhram Murtazaliev. So you can\u2019t take that fight lightly, either.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then after all that, you\u2019ve got a bunch of hungry contenders hanging around who also aren\u2019t easy to deal with. And Tim is one of those guys.<\/p>\n \u201cSo winning a world title in this weight class, it\u2019s not going to be easy.\u201d<\/p>\n WHO WINS TSZYU VERSUS SPENCE?<\/p>\n Like world boxing generally, Malignaggi says he is still 50\/50 on Tszyu\u2019s showdown with Spence.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery fight we\u2019re see a little more from Tim Tszyu,\u201d he said. He\u2019s building that chemistry with Pedro Diaz which is essential.<\/p>\n \u201cBut how do we know where Spence is at? We don\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually don\u2019t understand how this fight gets made without Spence taking a tune up, given he\u2019s had such a long lay off. And after taking a beating.<\/p>\n \u201cThen before that was off a year too.<\/p>\n \u201cSo how can you tell me what Spence is showing up?<\/p>\n Tszyu opens up on Nurja preparations | 03:52<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s he been doing? And what has he not been doing? Has he been in the testing cycle? You have to be asking all these questions.<\/p>\n \u201cBut of course, people will watch because Spence is always going to move the needle.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, a little lustre has been knocked off him following the Crawford loss. But Errol Spence has always been a big figure in boxing.<\/p>\n \u201cSo while we haven\u2019t seen him in a long time, the curiosity is there.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I have that same curiosity as everyone else.<\/p>\n \u201cThe opinions are also going to be big. And they\u2019re not all going to be positive.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes he have anything left? Should he be in a tough fight right away?<\/p>\n \u201cAnd with those questions, you know what we\u2019re going to do as boxing fans \u2013 we\u2019re going to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n TSZYU\u2019S SPENCE SPARRING PARTNERS LOCKED IN<\/p>\n Tim Tszyu says the sparring partners that will ready him for Errol Spence Jnr have already been locked in, as has every day of what will be a huge fight camp at Mundo Boxing Gym in Miami, Florida.<\/p>\n While Tszyu must first beat Denis Nurja this Sunday to confirm the Spence bout, new coach Pedro Diaz has wasted no time ensuring that everything is already locked into place.<\/p>\n Tszyu said his coach wakes at 4am every day to set programs.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s also got everything my last eight weeks recorded,\u201d the Aussie said. \u201cSame as my next camp is covered, including all the sparring, every session. He walks around with a stopwatch and our trainings are timed to the second. He\u2019s a perfectionist.\u201d<\/p>\n