NRL beast's 'crazy' dash to make boxing debut

2 years ago 82

Departing NRL premiership powerhouse Sio Siua Taukeiaho volition marque his boxing debut adjacent week connected the undercard of Paul Gallen and Justin Hodges.

Taukeiaho confirmed to Wide World of Sports helium has made it backmost from England successful clip to get aesculapian clearance and participate the ringing successful Sydney connected Wednesday night.

No Limit Boxing is yet to corroborate an hostile for the erstwhile Roosters prop, but an announcement is expected successful the coming days.

Taukeiaho, 30, has been successful the UK representing Tonga astatine the Rugby League World Cup. If his federation had made the Cup last and played this Sunday (AEDT), helium astir surely would person watched his boxing imagination spell sailing by.

Promoters were inactive unsure if helium would marque it backmost to Australia successful clip to propulsion the gloves on.

"It's been a beauteous brainsick 48 hours to beryllium honest," Taukeiaho told Wide World of Sports.

"I was evidently disappointed we (Tonga) didn't spell further successful the World Cup but it's evidently present a blessing successful disguise.

"I touched down (in Australia) from the UK and had to unreserved consecutive to the doc to get my medicals and bloods done. They were telling maine if I didn't get them done by midday (Thursday) past each the effort to unreserved location and other grooming would've been wasted, but I'm thankful it's implicit now.

"I inactive haven't been precisely told who I'm warring but I judge it's idiosyncratic with NRL experience. It doesn't truly substance to maine though, I'm conscionable excited to get successful determination and springiness it a crack."

Taukeiaho played 167 NRL games for the Roosters, winning 2 premierships with the Tricolours. He volition present caput to the Super League to play for Catalans.

While helium has nary nonrecreational boxing acquisition to talk of, No Limit has had a hard clip trying to find an hostile consenting to measurement into the ringing with the 100kg Tongan wrecking ball.

"It's beauteous uncommon for america to beryllium successful a presumption with a large level connected Main Event and not beryllium capable to lucifer idiosyncratic connected debut, truthful intelligibly boxing types person done their probe connected him," No Limit Boxing brag George Rose said earlier successful the week.

Gallen, who volition discontinue from boxing aft his rematch with Hodges connected Wednesday, named Taukeiaho arsenic the astir apt erstwhile NRL prima to instrumentality his spot arsenic the a big-money combat attraction.

Gallen has earned millions from his 17 bouts - of which helium has won 14 and drawn 1 - and Taukeiaho realises the imaginable successful a vocation wrong the ring.

"Gal has shown america footy boys that determination are opportunities retired determination successful the combat crippled if you're consenting to bash the hard work, but I've besides got to backmost it up," helium said.

"I'm confident, excited and I look guardant to putting connected a amusement connected Wednesday night."

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