Paul Gallen will enter his final professional boxing match without the presence of Australia’s renowned trainer Graham Shaw, the fighter confirmed ahead of his bout scheduled for next Friday at Sydney’s TikTok Arena. Despite speculation that the longtime partnership between Gallen and Shaw had ended, Gallen denied any split, stating that the two remain active in training together.

Shaw has played a pivotal role throughout much of Gallen’s boxing career, which includes notable victories over fighters such as Justis Huni, Mark Hunt, and Sonny Bill Williams. Shaw is also well known for training former IBF middleweight champion Daniel Geale. For his farewell fight, Gallen will be supported by a new team comprising respected Sydney coach Brian Doyle, alongside Pete Mitevski Jr. and cutman Brian Wilmot.

The change in Gallen’s corner has drawn attention, with his opponent, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, questioning whether a pay dispute had led to Shaw’s absence. The unbeaten NAS, who has earned a reputation as a formidable contender, suggested the shift in Gallen’s training staff could be significant ahead of their highly anticipated main event clash.

The rivalry between the two fighters has also intensified in the buildup to the fight, marked by a war of words in the media. Gallen defended himself against Asofa-Solomona’s recent criticisms while rebuffing claims that Shaw had abandoned him. He further criticized NAS after the latter questioned his decision to call out younger opponents rather than facing him earlier. Gallen described those remarks as unfounded and dismissed Asofa-Solomona’s comments as “idiotic.”

Meanwhile, Asofa-Solomona responded to some of Gallen’s verbal jabs in kind, referencing an insult where Gallen called him a “dog, cat, and even a rat.” NAS retorted by urging observers to “Google Paul Gallen’s name and tell me who the real rat is,” highlighting the contentious nature of their exchanges.

With both fighters escalating their public dispute and the dynamics of Gallen’s camp shifting ahead of the event, attention remains focused on their showdown at TikTok Arena, which will mark the conclusion of Gallen’s boxing career.