Two of rugby league’s toughest and most notorious players, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Matt Lodge, exchange sharp words that point toward a potential boxing showdown.
The Latest Verbal Sparring
Former Melbourne Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona responds to Matt Lodge’s challenge from afar. Lodge, now with the North Queensland Cowboys and gearing up for round one in Las Vegas, doubles down on his call-out after Asofa-Solomona signs a three-year boxing deal with No Limit promoters following his NRL retirement.
Lodge states, “He already knows he can get it. I’ll do my best here but if I pull up healthy at the end of the year, I’d definitely fight.” He adds, “Unlike Nelson, I’m not going to quit footy to get in the ring. But good luck to him … and if he wants to get it on, we can get it on.”
Asofa-Solomona shares a screenshot of Lodge’s comments on Instagram, captioning it: “Funny that…you wouldn’t have a job if I took the contract you’re currently on right now. Thank me later.” He highlights Lodge’s infamous 2015 quote, “This is the night you die,” from a violent incident in New York.
Lodge’s New York Incident Revisited
In October 2015, Lodge faces arrest for assault after a drunken rampage. He threatens two German tourists, chases them, and attacks a man trying to intervene. Lodge breaks into the man’s apartment, smashes furniture, and punches through a bathroom door where a nine-year-old boy hides before police intervene.
Returning to the US for the first time since his arrest at gunpoint and time at Rikers Island, Lodge describes the experience as surreal. “I probably didn’t think I’d be coming back to America,” he says. “But I’ve ticked all the boxes. At the end of the day, it was 11 years ago.”
Lodge offers to sit out the Cowboys’ Las Vegas opener against the Newcastle Knights if it distracts the team. “If it was going to affect the team in any way, I told them I was happy just playing in round two,” he explains.
Boxing Ambitions and Public Reaction
Asofa-Solomona thrives early in his boxing career after quitting the NRL post-2025 season. Lodge turns professional in November 2024, securing a second-round knockout over Alexander Ale and a TKO win against Jonasa Kavika in March 2025.
Fans speculate the feud builds hype for a ring clash. Online comments suggest, “These two will fight each other eventually and this is just a promotion,” and “He’s baiting Lodge to get a boxing match.”
