Former Melbourne Storm powerhouse Nelson Asofa-Solomona has officially secured an opponent for his much-anticipated professional boxing debut.
Asofa-Solomona will step into the ring against former NRL journeyman and cult hero Jeremy Latimore at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on January 16.
The bout serves as a high-profile addition to the blockbuster Nikita Tszyu vs Michael Zerafa undercard, a night already steeped in rugby league crossover appeal.
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Asofa-Solomona is widely considered the poster boy for No Limit Boxing's next wave of boxing converts — following in the lucrative footsteps of NRL legend and premiership-winning captain Paul Gallen — but he faces a tricky opening test in Latimore.
The 39-year-old former prop is seven years removed from his NRL career but holds a distinct advantage in ring experience, having won his professional debut against Alexander Ale by unanimous decision in late 2024.
Latimore also holds a victory from the Podcast Royal event on the Gold Coast last April, where he won an exhibition bout.
In October, Asofa-Solomona, 29, walked away from his $800,000-a-year NRL career, securing a release from the final two years of his contract with the Storm to pursue boxing full-time.
Earlier this month, he confirmed his nine-fight deal with No Limit.
Asofa-Solomona brings a terrifying physical presence and a reputation as one of the most feared enforcers in rugby league, but Latimore's durability and willingness to step up on short notice have already injected a dose of veteran grit into the promotion.
A veteran of 182 NRL matches, Latimore now works with experienced trainers Brian Doyle and Mark Gambin.
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Latimore joked that his mother was "absolutely filthy" about him taking the fight against the Storm giant, yet he is the first fighter to officially sign on the dotted line to face the 200cm New Zealander.
"When I first suggested the idea a few weeks back, my mum was like 'No, no, no'," Latimore said.
"But then eventually I had to ring her back and say, 'Ah, I've now signed the f—-ing contract' …"
The bout features three-minute rounds — a professional format Latimore favours and has previously demanded.
Latimore took to social media last week to call out Asofa-Solomona in a series of posts.
The ex-Kiwi forward brings a proven — and at times controversial — combat pedigree to his professional debut.
His resume includes a 2023 knockout victory over Jarrod Wallace and a notorious 2019 incident in Bali, where he was captured on camera throwing haymakers in defence of teammate Suliasi Vunivalu.
The heavyweight bout joins a "bad blood" card headlined by the long-awaited grudge match between Tszyu and Zerafa.
Also included is a world title eliminator between Liam Paro and Paddy Donovan, meaning the event is tracking to be the biggest combat sports spectacle in Queensland history.
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