Footy fight night as NRL and NRLW stars set for boxing card, which players will fight, Gorden Tallis and Willie Mason, Matt Lodge, Adam Elliott, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Royce Hunt, Josh Aloiai

Legendary NRL enforcers Gorden Tallis and Willie Mason have signed on for a blockbuster ‘Footy Fight Night’ that will see some of the rugby league’s biggest rivalries – male and female – settled inside a boxing ring.

Less than a week out from Tim Tszyu’s latest US world title blockbuster, Fox Sports Australia can reveal his promoters No Limit are also finalising an exciting crossover card for Friday, November 29.

While no details have yet been announced, it’s understood both Tallis and Mason have agreed to ‘captain’ two teams of fighters from both the NRL and NRLW competitions.

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Some of those being mentioned as potential competitors include NRL enforcers Matt Lodge, Adam Elliott, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Royce Hunt and Josh Aloiai.

It’s understood NRLW stars Ali Brigginshaw and Tiana Penitani have also been approached to throw down.

Another obvious contender is exiled NRL player Curtis Scott, who is undefeated in three straight heavyweight fights since switching sports – including showcase wins over Joey Leilua and AFL legend Barry Hall.

Professional fighters will also be involved in the teams-based event at a yet-to-be-confirmed location – with Sydney, Gold Coast and Newcastle all in the running to host.

Details of the Footy Fight Night could be confirmed as early as this week, with the No Limit crew currently preparing for Tszyu’s upcoming headliner against undefeated IBF super welterweight king Bakhram Murtazaliev in the US this Sunday.

Should Tszyu become a two-time world champion, he has already expressed interest in fighting against Down Under before Christmas.

A win will also ensure ‘The Soul Taker’ is catapulted into a series of huge potential match ups – with superstars like Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jnr, even Jermell Charlo all possible rivals for early 2025.

Yet Tszyu’s headliner this Sunday is now set to begin a huge couple of months for Australian sports fans – and potentially see some of rugby league’s biggest rivalries sorted.

It’s understood the Footy Fight Night concept involves the two ‘captains’ – Tallis and Big Willie – handpicking their respective fighters in collaboration with No Limit Boxing.

That selection process will take place at official event set for Thursday October 31.

Overall, the card will involve eight fights.

There will be four fights involving NRL players, one NRLW bout and three more professional fights – with a scoring system in place to determine the winning team.

Each individual fight winner will earn their team two points, with a knockout earning an additional bonus point.

A draw earns both teams one point, while fighters get nothing for a loss.

The squad boasting most points at the end of the night then crowned the overall winner.

More details are expected as early as this week.

Lodge, in particular, has been looking to make his professional boxing debut since way back in December 2022, when he found himself caught up in a Dubai boxing scandal where several fighters were robbed of their purses after the promoter disappeared.

Only months earlier, the then Roosters prop had made headlines as a potential opponent for Paul Gallen’s hyped farewell from the sport.

But when that fell through, the NRL enforcer then tried to make his fight debut, in secret, in the Middle East — however the card eventually fell over in what one promoter described as “the worst s*** fight I’ve ever seen”.

Aloiai, meanwhile, was also slated to fight Gallen way back in 2021, however that fight was cancelled after the Manly Sea Eagles forward tested positive to COVID.

Prior to the fight being cancelled, both men made headlines during a fiery press event in which Gallen slammed his rival for requesting that the rounds by two minutes, not three.

There would also be huge interest in seeing Asofa-Solomona throw down again following his big stoppage win against fellow leaguie Jarrod Wallace last year.

The towering Melbourne prop was rubbed out of this year’s NRL grand final due to a suspension that will also keep him out of representing New Zealand in the upcoming representative matches.

As a result, it’s understood No Limit are keen to get the Storm enforcer into the boxing ring.

Speaking after that win over Wallace, NAS said: “I’ve got that monkey off my back … I want to go again.

“I love it.

“I love the sport of boxing.

“I’m very passionate about it and wanted to give respect to boxing.”

Hunt, meanwhile, would also attract huge interest given he has long been considered among the strongest players in the NRL due to his huge gym lifts – which includes a 200kg bench press.