Former rugby league star Gallen returns to boxing at 45

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 22:31 · Archive

Paul Gallen, 45, will fight Nelson Asofa-Solomona in Sydney on Friday week in his 20th professional boxing bout.

Paul Gallen, the former Cronulla captain and NSW State of Origin skipper, will fight Nelson Asofa-Solomona in a heavyweight bout in Sydney on Friday week. At 45, this will be Gallen's 20th professional boxing bout, coming 16 months after he emerged from retirement to settle a long-running dispute with Sonny Bill Williams. Gallen has promised this will be his final fight, though he acknowledged his wife Anne is unhappy about the decision.

Gallen dismissed concerns about his long-term health and welfare. He said he had undergone multiple brain scans and done everything possible to ensure he was in good condition. On the question of CTE, which retired league players have increasingly reported suffering from, Gallen noted that the condition cannot be confirmed until after death, stating that unless technology has changed in the past six months, there is no way to know if he has it.

Gallen said his motivation for continuing to fight was financial: to provide for his family. The father of four told AAP that it was his role to look after his family and give them the life he did not have, despite his wife's reservations about the fight.

How it is being reported

• 'She's not happy': wife irked about Gallen boxing againLeague great Paul Gallen has dismissed concerns about his long-term health, ahead of his return to the boxing ring at age 45 to fight Nelson Asofa-Solomona.Perth Now · 26 Oct, 22:00
• 'She's not happy': wife irked about Gallen boxing againLeague great Paul Gallen has dismissed concerns about his long-term health, ahead of his return to the boxing ring at age 45 to fight Nelson Asofa-Solomona.The West Australian · 26 Oct, 22:00

In this story: Paul Gallen · Nelson Asofa-Solomona · Sonny Bill Williams · Anne Gallen · Sydney · Cronulla

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