South Sydney Rabbitohs premiership winner George Burgess has been slammed for allegedly smelling of alcohol by his boxing opponent Nelson Asofa-Solomona – just before his role in preventing a suicide was revealed.
The Kiwi fighter and former Melbourne Storm star has accused Burgess of smelling of alcohol on two occasions when the pair came face to face in the lead-up to Wednesday night’s bout.
‘First time I faced off with him, immediately after I fought Jeremy Latimore, he stunk of booze,’ Asofa-Solomona said on Monday.
‘And it was the same after my second fight against Jarrod Wallace, when he stunk of booze again.’
The 30-year-old former NRL star is also understood to have accused Burgess of smelling of cigarettes during a previous meeting.
‘Then in Brisbane during Magic Round, it was something else again I could smell,’ Asofa-Solomona continued.
George Burgess (pictured) has been accused of ‘smelling of booze’ in his previous meetings with Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Burgess (pictured training) will make his professional boxing debut against Asofa-Solomona on Wednesday night
Asofa-Solomona (pictured) has knockout victories under his belt
Asofa-Solomona’s comments have surfaced just days before Burgess enters the ring for the first time.
Burgess, 34, stepped away from rugby league in 2022 while playing for St George Illawarra amid a combination of a serious hip injury and some troubling personal issues.
The 34-year-old’s professional fighting debut has been much anticipated – but even if he is defeated, he’ll still walk away having achieved something special.
On Monday morning, Burgess helped stop a man from jumping off an overpass in Brisbane.
The man is believed to have stepped over a guard rail near Brisbane’s Central Station before Burgess and media personality Tim Ashworth rushed to the scene.
After initially trying to deter the man from jumping off the ledge verbally, the pair then physically grabbed him.
The former footy star then offered to take him for a coffee before police and emergency services arrived.
‘Tim got to the guy first and started speaking with him. I got there second and asked what his name was, tried to get him out of his head a little bit,’ Burgess told Fox Sports.
‘Tim was [there first] holding him and couldn’t get him by himself.
‘And then once I got there and got hold of him, I wasn’t letting go … then we pulled him over the railings.’
If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636
