Another round with Paul Gallen may loom for Josh Papalii with the NRL enforcer revealing he will follow in the footsteps of famous cousin Alex Leapai and head to the ring.
Rugby league players taking up boxing may be copping flack of late after retired Brisbane great Justin Hodges' much criticised 23-second win over an unheralded Troy McMahon last month.
But it has not fazed Papalii who has the "sweet science" in his blood after cousin and former world heavyweight title challenger Leapai showed him and his brother Johnny the ropes back in their Logan childhood days.
The Canberra wrecking ball's main focus may be preparing to lead Queensland's pack in the June 5 State of Origin opener against NSW in Brisbane.
However he still let slip that he would be soon entering the ring once he thrashes out an understanding with NRL club coach Ricky Stuart.
"It is something I will be happy to do in the near future," he said.
"When that time comes you guys will know.
"But it is something I am passionate about and something I want to do before I am all dusted up.
"I would love to. Ricky knows my passions. He understands what I want to do in the near future and he will be alright with it."
The stage is now set for Papalii to once again go toe-to-toe with another boxing enthusiast, Cronulla skipper Gallen, who last got in the ring in February with a second round knockout of former league bad boy John Hopoate.
Papalii forged a ferocious rivalry when at just 20 years old the Raiders forward laid down the gauntlet to the then NSW captain by putting hit after hit on a shellshocked Gallen in an infamous 2012 finals clash.
Papalii initially dismissed a bout in the near future with Gallen.
"Look, Gal is a bit too out of my class. He is a decent boxer," he said.
But Papalii left the door open for a showdown with his NRL nemesis, saying he wanted to see where his boxing dream took him after cutting his teeth under Leapai.
His cousin Leapai famously took on Russian giant Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight title in 2014.
He was the first Australian to challenge for the heavyweight world title in 106 years but lost by knockout inside five rounds.
"I've got a lot of cousins who box and my little brother (John) got forced into that little ring when we were younger," Papalii said of Leapai.
"We stuck to it and our old man would take us to parks and to boxing rings."
In the meantime, Papalii hopes to come out swinging in the Origin opener.
"I will just go out there and start well for the boys," the Maroons prop said ominously.
