- Reagan Campbell-Gillard will face Jason Taumalolo
- The Eels star trained with Junior Paulo
- Teammate says blood was shed in the gym
NRL star Reagan Campbell-Gillard is preparing for his professional boxing debut against Jason Taumalolo in Townsville on October 7 – and he has revealed his training has been as painful as playing football.
The ‘Battle on the Reef’ event will feature current rugby league stars Junior Paulo, Tevita Pangai Junior, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and former players Matt Cooper, Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant on the all-star card.
Australian boxing sensation Paulo Aokuso will also battle Gabriel Omar Diaz for the IBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight title on the same card.
Campbell-Gillard is new to the sport and when he spoke to Daily Mail, Australia sported a painful black eye.
“Yeah, that’s Junior’s,” he laughed, gesturing to his shiner. ‘That’s a right hand.
NRL star Reagan Campbell-Gillard is currently training for his first professional fight
Campbell-Gillard sparring with Eels teammate Junior Paulo (right, pictured with trainer Justin Fitzgerald, centre)
“It happened yesterday about the end of our last lap. I saw it coming, but I wasn’t quick enough to block it.
“I’ve always said that if I can survive the rounds with Junior and just walk away with a black eye, I’ll consider that a victory.”
Campbell-Gillard says he has been training with Paulo twice a day for the past three weeks and is really enjoying the new challenge.
The Paramatta prop says he didn’t need too much convincing to take the fight as it was always something he had been curious about.
‘It only took two yeses. One from her (Reagan’s partner) and one from Junior. I had a few guys at training who said we should take up the challenge too.”
Eels enforcer Paulo says his Parramatta partner in crime is selling himself short – and that Campbell-Gillard has really tried his best.
“He’s a tough cookie,” Paulo said respectfully.
“I don’t want to say too much… but there was some blood taken at that boxing gym and it definitely wasn’t his.
“Reggie is so enthusiastic and learning every day – and that’s all you can ask for. And that mentality will set him up for fight night.”
Campbell-Gillard said he contacted his partner (pictured together) before deciding to take part in the fight
Paulo said Campbell-Gillard has performed very well in the gym and taken blood samples
The Eels enforcer will face former footy star Ben Hannant on the same card
Paulo takes on former NRL hardman Ben Hannant, who went the distance with Paul Gallen in a spiteful encounter in his last fight.
Paulo, who has also stepped into the ring with Gallen, said he won’t take the former Broncos star lightly.
“You can never underestimate anyone who steps into the ring,” he said.
‘Ben has been quite active in recent years. He fought Gal last year and went the distance, so you can’t underestimate anyone.
“I just have to trust my boxing instincts when I go out there and all the work I’ve put in.”
Watch all the action from ‘Battle on the Reef’ on October 7 available to watch via pay-per-view live and exclusively on Stan Sport.