'Quite the athlete': Unbeaten All Blacks world champ to fight Curtis Scott on Uncaged undercard
Former NRL player Curtis Scott will fight ex-All Blacks star Liam Messam on the Uncaged undercard on November 20.
Scott, 27, has turned to boxing after his NRL career ended in 2021 while Messam, 40, has also shown skill in the ring since his rugby career ended with Toulon in 2020.
Messam is 7-0 as a professional and was a member of the 2015 world champion All Blacks squad that beat Australia in the final.
Ex-UFC star Tyson Pedro will face Kris Terzievski on November 20 in his pro boxing debut. Watch live and exclusive on Stan Sport
Barry Hall and Curtis Scott trade punches at Wollongong Entertainment Centre. Getty
The pair join a star-studded undercard to the Tyson Pedro vs Kris Terzievski heavyweight main event at Panthers Leagues Club in Penrith.
"He's definitely got some skills and is quite the athlete, representing the All Blacks," Scott told Stan Sport.
"That's no easy feat. He was captain of his club (Chiefs) and he went to the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.
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Liam Messam fights Rhys Sullivan in 2015 in Sydney. Getty
"So he's had quite the career and I'm definitely in for a tough fight."
Messam beat Tussi Asafo by TKO in 2022 while his other wins were unanimous decisions against Rhys Sullivan, Joe Ageli, Thomas Russell, Mathew Matich, Kyle Mereweather and Darryl Takerei.
"He obviously knows what he's doing in there," Scott said.
Liam Messam leads the haka at Twickenham in 2013. Getty
"He's 7-0 but I train hard and I work hard and I think it's going to be a really great fight."
Scott vs Messam will be a four round fight.
Scott has been training with UFC star Robert Whittaker and also had a few rounds sparring against the unbeaten Jai Opetaia.
"But now I've got an opponent, I've just been trying to find some big men with some fast hand speed like Liam has," he said.
"Some good sparring to really zero in on what I need to focus on."
Scott says boxing has been good for him after being sacked by the Canberra Raiders in 2021.
In 2023, he failed in an appeal to overturn convictions for assaulting and threatening his former partner, long jumper Tay-Leiha Clark.
"Certainly, you know, with my rugby league career, got a fair few unwritten wrongs and I've been portrayed in a pretty, pretty bad light. But boxing's been great," Scott said.
"It's really disciplined me, really kept me on the straight and narrow and keeps me working hard.
"I'm someone that always has to be doing something and working towards something.
"It's been great, boxing, and it's something that I've really fallen in love with. I love working hard."
