Paul Gallen is eyeing off a staggering $1 million payday in this Friday’s Australian crossover blockbuster – and thanks largely to a massive bonus should he knock out Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
In a huge twist to what has been dubbed Gallen’s ‘Last Walk’, promoters No Limit are understood to have structured the 45-year-old’s contract with a series of clauses that could see him earn seven figures from the headliner.
And it has been suggested the most lucrative caveat is a KO clause – with the NSW Origin great said to be earning a hefty bonus if he knocks Big Nasty cold.
Gallen v Asofa-Solomona | Friday November 6 from 7pm AEDT | Australian sporting icon and crossover boxing king Paul Gallen returns to the ring to face his biggest opponent yet, Nelson ‘Big Nasty’ Asofa-Solomona. | Order now on Kayo Sports.
Certainly, Gallen is no stranger to finishing footballers, having previously stopped a list of crossover fighters including Justin Hodges, John Hopoate and Darcy Lussick.
Most famously though, Gallen earned a huge 2021 KO win over Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne.
On that occasion, the Cronulla premiership hero needed less than a round to earn what was a stunning boilover against Australia’s former world heavyweight champion.
Asked by Fox Sports Australia this week about suggestions he would earn over $1 million against Asofa-Solomona and Gallen remained tight-lipped, insisting all money discussions, understandably, remained private.
“But it’s enough,” he said of the deal, “to get me up and out of bed”.
Gallen also left no doubt about who will be the biggest financial winner of his TikTok Arena headliner, which tops a card also featuring breakout Australian talent like Callum Peters, Paulo Aokuso and Ahmad Reda.
Asked after Wednesday’s fiery press conference if he was making more money than Asofa-Solomona in their fight, Gal laughed: “F*** mate, I’ll pay more in tax than he’ll earn from this”.
Elsewhere, Gallen also said given the money he is being paid – coupled with the obvious physical advantages his rival brings to the ring – it means all pressure will be off his shoulders on fight night.
“I don’t want to keep going on about the money, but that’s what I’m here for,” he stressed. “So there’s no pressure on me.
“And could you imagine if a 45-year-old (like me) comes out of retirement and even competes with this bloke? Like, what an embarrassment to him.
“If I beat him – and I’m going to beat him — that’ll end him.”
For months now, rumours have swirled around exactly how much Gallen is making to come out of retirement and throw down against the former Melbourne Stormer billed as his pay-per-view replacement.
There have been suggestions Gallen could earn anywhere from $600,000 to almost double that, depending on clauses written into his contract – including the massive KO bonus.
Even Asofa-Solomona heaped praise on No Limit after Wednesday’s press conference for coaxing Gallen back, saying how, initially, he thought there was little chance the father-of-four would ever face him.
“I was super, super, surprised,” NAS said of the fight being made. “I didn’t think any amount of money would have got him out of retirement
“But the boys at No Limit have done an awesome job, and I’m super grateful that we’ve been able to get him out. This will be his last fight … so go out with a bang.”
Gallen: “It was a sh*t sandwich we got!” | 04:46
Way back in June, No Limit boss George Rose was asked about whispers suggesting his team would need to find $1 million to bring Gallen back for his new heavyweight star.
“Initially, Gal was demanding $4 million,” Rose joked. “So it’s nice to see he has come down a little. Apparently, this is his discount price.”
Previously, Gallen has also revealed to Fox Sports Australia how UK promoter Eddie Hearn once offered both he and Sonny Bill Williams a pair of $4 million contracts to fight twice on Matchroom shows.
The retired NRL star has also previously stated how, amid a three-year run of fights that included the likes of Browne, Mark Hunt and Justis Huni, his fights also grossed a whopping $25 million.
Yet one bloke who remains clearly unimpressed is NAS, who insisted it would be him who wins by KO on Friday.
Elsewhere, the unbeaten 30-year-old also suggested the judges had got things wrong in Gallen’s most recent fight, a 2025 split decision win over Sonny Bill Williams.
“He lost against Sonny Bill,” the former New Zealand Test prop said. “All you had to do was just look at his face. His face was butchered up.
“Sonny Bill won that. He touched (Gal) more and he was a slicker boxer”.
When it was his turn to front a media scrum meanwhile, Gallen also again took aim at NAS for having brought up his wife, Anne, as the pair traded words up on stage before proceedings even started.
Gallen said the former Stormer had taken a dig at him, suggesting he should listen to his wife – “who is a smart women” – following a fight week story about her suggesting he not fight again.
On stage, Gallen had suggested the comments had him wanting to kick Asofa-Solomona in the head on Friday night, and the vitriol continued after the press event was over.
“It f***ing pissed me off,” Gallen confirmed. “You don’t bring someone’s family into this. Have you ever seen that in rugby league or in boxing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone bring somebody’s family into it.
“But just because he said it, there’s no more extra venom in my punches or nothing more I want to do to him, except what I said … I would love to sit him down and try to kick his head off his shoulders.
“I would love to do that. Obviously I can’t because I’d get suspended.
“(Laughs) Although it is my last fight anyway so …”
NAS: “I’m still calm bro, all good!” | 03:02
Quizzed on the exchange, NAS explained: “There was an article came out saying (Gallen’s wife) didn’t want him to come out of retirement. She didn’t want him to box again.
“So I said, ‘hey, maybe you should listen to your wife, she’s a smart lady, I’m Polish, she’s Polish, smart lady, you should listen to her’.
“If I had a wife and she told me not to come out of retirement, I probably would have listened. And look, he’s taken it personally. But I don’t really care.”
And as for the kicking comment?
“I don’t know, bro,” NAS continued. “I don’t know what he was saying. But I said ‘I’m right here’. And he didn’t do anything. I don’t think he wants to jeopardise his pay.”
Elsewhere, Gal stressed that, despite all the money talk, he definitely wasn’t returning because he was short of a dollar.
“Nah, mate, I’m in a great place,” he grinned. “I’ve got a really good job (as an NRL analyst) and I’m now here having fun. This is fun for me. I enjoy it. I get to be in the limelight one more time and I’m having fun.”