Former England international George Burgess looks set to be the next ex-rugby league player to turn to boxing after calling out an NRL icon.
Burgess, the younger brother of Warrington Wolves coach Sam and the twin of Huddersfield Giants prop Tom, retired from rugby league in 2022, last playing for St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL.
That came after a brief stint with Wigan Warriors, though he spent almost all of his career with South Sydney Rabbitohs, making a total of 149 appearances.
Burgess also played 15 times for England but he’s now looking for a new venture and it seems that could be boxing with the 33-year-old attending ex-NRL man Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s pro debut this past weekend and causing somewhat of a scene in the crowd in an apparent bid to earn himself a fight.
Asofa-Solomona made the shock decision to walk away from the NRL ahead of the 2026 season as the forward signed a nine-fight deal with boxing promoters No Limit.
Could George Burgess be next rugby league star to take up boxing?
After dispatching fellow former rugby league player Jeremy Latimore with ease, Asofa-Solomona and Burgess went head to head at ringside with NAS telling Fox Sports: “He’s a nobody,” in reference to the Englishman.
The former Melbourne Storm star is one of many rugby league players to turn to boxing with Sonny Bill Williams one of the most famous examples, as well as Paul Gallen and recent Super League man Tevita Pangai Jr.
Burgess reportedly told Asofa-Solomona, who had weighed 21 kilograms more than Latimore, to ‘pick on someone your own size’ with Fox Sports revealing that a deal to arrange a fight between the pair is being worked on.
The Englishman is in talks for a boxing debut with No Limit though Asofa-Solomona was dismissive of any potential fight, claiming: “Everyone was trying to call me out.. I was getting called out by someone’s mum, called out by someone’s dad.”
Asofa-Solomona’s promoter George Rose confirmed Burgess’ interest, stating that he was ‘baffled by it’.
“After it all happened, I saw George in the crowd and he said he’s keen, he wants it,” Rose said, adding: “And he is a very big human but when you see what Nelson just did, I wouldn’t be so quick to jump in the ring with him. I’d love to make it happen.”
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