![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792441091_333_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Despite still being only 20, the promising amateur is already seven centimetres taller than Asofa-Solomona.<\/p>\n
He is also bigger than even British megastar Tyson Fury by two centimetres.<\/p>\n
In fact, so quickly did Mohammed grow at one point in his teens, the youngster required surgery on his hips. <\/p>\n
Importantly, the Sydneysider also boasts several similar traits to Asofa-Solomona – including a devastating right uppercut – and is currently being helped along by Australia\u2019s most famous fight coach, Lewis.<\/p>\n
So impressed has the Hall of Fame trainer been with Mohammed\u2019s potential, he has now agreed to be part of his push towards selection at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles before then turning pro.<\/p>\n
Yet first, the youngster is readying Gallen for his shock return to the sport.<\/p>\n
Paul Gallen with 208cm, almost-140kg prospect Ibby Mohammed.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
Despite having effectively retired from the ring twice already, the Cronulla premiership hero is now returning, aged 45, as part of his bid to end the career of No Limit\u2019s newest crossover poster boy.<\/p>\n
It will be Gallen\u2019s first fight back since beating Sonny Bill Williams in July last year.<\/p>\n
The now NRL analyst also boasts famed upset wins against both UFC heavyweight great Mark Hunt and former heavyweight champion, Lucas \u2018Big Daddy\u2019 Browne. <\/p>\n
Yet in his upcoming showdown against NAS, the man dubbed \u2018G-Train\u2019 will be giving up 22cm in height, and as much as 35kg.<\/p>\n
Enter Mohammed.<\/p>\n
After sparring the towering Olympic hopeful for the first time last week, Gallen has now booked in another three sessions with the youngster who has been studying Asofa-Solomona\u2019s movements in a bid to then replicate them in sparring.<\/p>\n
All of their workouts are scheduled for eight rounds.<\/p>\n
Resendiz v Mazoudier – Full Highlights | 02:59<\/p>\n
Given everything Gallen is conceding in age, height and weight against his unbeaten rival, the NSW Origin great has been listed as a $2.15 betting outsider for the November 6 crossover headliner in Sydney.<\/p>\n
NAS, meanwhile, is $1.68.<\/p>\n
Yet speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Mohammed\u2019s trainer Henry Lau stressed his young charge will ensure Gallen is more than ready for Asofa-Solomona by the time their fight rolls around in less than three weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIbby is the closest thing Gal can get to replicating a fight with Nelson,\u201d Lau said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s actually taller, stands 6\u201910\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also weighs 139 kilos.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now he\u2019s training for nationals and we\u2019re hoping for the Olympics, then a pro career.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve already sparred Gal once and will now do three more sessions \u2013 two this week, and one more next week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ibby Mohammed, with trainer Henry Lau, is a terrifying prospect.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
Soon after, the trainer continued: \u201cIbby came to my gym at the age of 16, shortly after dropping out of school, and he\u2019s been training fulltime ever since.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we started training he was 6\u20196\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he\u2019s kept growing and, most recently, in the space of about two years of doing this properly, has won State titles twice, won King of the Ring twice and then went up to Queensland and won Golden Gloves.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got absurd reach and one of the hardest jabs to deal with.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis boxing IQ is also incredibly good.<\/p>\n
\u201cJohnny Lewis has offered us his help and really believes Ibby is the next best thing in boxing.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Gallen may be a betting outsider against NAS, the retired NRL star has already promised to end his towering rival\u2019s new career.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a Face Off interview with Asofa-Solomona last week, Gallen suggested he was unimpressed with the career start of the Melbourne Storm premiership hero \u2013 who has made quick work of Jeremy Latimore, Jarrod Wallace and George Burgess.<\/p>\n
Fundora v Hadribeaj – Full Highlights | 02:58<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re big, strong and powerful,\u201d Gallen said at one point. \u201cBut you\u2019re a f***ing cat deep down.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeep down, you know you are. I\u2019m going to prove it and expose you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen it in rugby league and it doesn\u2019t change. It\u2019s in you as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallen also stressed he had \u201cno doubt\u201d he will beat his much younger rival.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s as tough as people think,\u201d Gallen continued of NAS soon after. \u201cI played rugby league against him. He was good. He came off the bench. He was a good player for 10 or 15 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the end of the day, when I am constantly pressuring him, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to handle it. He hasn\u2019t faced anyone like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dubois vs Wardley 2 – Full Highlights | 02:59<\/p>\n
Gallen also accused Asofa-Solomona of quitting the NRL when the game became too fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cI moved on,\u201d Asofa-Solomona replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you quit. You f***ing quit,\u201d Gallen shot back. \u201cOnce you\u2019ve got quit in you once, you can\u2019t get rid of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
When pushed on his own client\u2019s work with Gallen meanwhile, Lau talked up the sparring sessions.<\/p>\n
\u201cNelson has a good uppercut and so does Ibby,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven he is always the bigger fighter, opponents try to get down and go under his guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cIbby\u2019s overhand is also strong, his right hook. Same as Nelson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve also done a lot of film study (on NAS) and then looked to replicate that. Make sure Gal can get the most out of the rounds we do.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut obviously I won\u2019t give too much away.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Paul Gallen has found the perfect preparation for his crossover blockbuster against Nelson Asofa-Solomona \u2013 hiring a monstrous…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":934128,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-934127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-boxing","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=934127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/934128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=934127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=934127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=934127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}