‘Took things to another level’: Supermarket jibe fuels grudge fight tipped to steal Gallen-NAS show

Paul Gallen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona have some competition when it comes to bad blood on Friday night.

And Main Event commenator Ben Damon believes Ahmad Reda and Jake Wyllie could give them even more competition once the punches start flying.

Gallen v Asofa-Solomona | Friday November 6 from 7pm AEDT | Australian sporting icon and crossover boxing king Paul Gallen returns to the ring to face his biggest opponent yet, Nelson 'Big Nasty' Asofa-Solomona. | Order now on Kayo Sports.

The popular commentator and host, who sat between the rivals during their recent explosive face off, has tipped the domestic showdown to potentially steal the show on the Sydney card.

There was no shortage of feeling when the pair sat down together.

"Who have you knocked out?" Reda demanded.

"17 of my 22 opponents," Wyllie replied.

"Bums," Reda shot back.

The undefeated Sydneysider dismissed Wyllie's previous knockout victims as "cabbies and uber drivers", while the heavy-handed Queenslander warned Reda he would be next.

"So we'll just see how you go once you get that left hand or right hand on the chin - and if you stay up, credit to you," Wyllie said.

Reda had his own brutal prediction.

"I'll show you a nice knockout on November 6. It'll be good to watch you go out on a stretcher."

"You're kidding yourself," Wyllie shot back.

But it was a dig about Reda's work in his family's Arncliffe supermarket that appears to have added an even more personal edge.

Reda has since told Code Sports he wants to knock Wyllie out over the remark.

For Damon, who experienced the tension up close, there is little doubt about how much this one means.

"I guess I'm in a privileged position having sat between this pair at the face off that we recorded the other day, and I got a firsthand experience of the legitimate animosity and the feeling that exists within this fight," Damon told Fox Sports Australia.

"And the reason that that is so evident is that it is such a meaningful fight for these two."

For Reda, Friday represents another opportunity to establish himself among Australian boxing's most exciting young fighters.

For Wyllie, it is a chance to stop that rise - and give his own career a boost in front of a big audience.

But Damon believes the shot at Reda's supermarket work struck a particular nerve.

"He's very proud of his heritage. He's very proud that he works in a supermarket that belongs to his family," Damon said.

"He's proud of his roots being from Arncliffe in Sydney, and he certainly seemed to take some offense from the confidence and the bravado shown by Jake Wyllie in saying that he was gonna stop him, but also in having a dig about the fact that he does work in that shop."

Damon expects there could be more fireworks before the pair even reach the ring.

"That jibe took things to another level, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if things fire up again at the press conference, at the weigh in, and certainly in this fight."

Both men can clearly fight, too.

Damon points to Reda's wins over the likes of Paul Fleming and Bruno Tarimo as evidence of a fighter ready to take another scalp.

But standing in his way is a Queenslander who is as tough as they come.

"Ahmad Reda, clearly a fighter on the rise, undefeated, and has taken all in front of him, including big name wins against Paul Fleming," Damon said.

"And, also, what I thought was his standout performance so far against Bruno Tarimo. He is on the verge of proving that he is one of the stars of the next generation in Australian boxing.

"But in front of him, he has this experienced and big-punching Queenslander, who we've seen take on all comers in recent years in Australian boxing, including stepping in on late notice to save the show against George Kambosos in Jake Wyllie."

Wyllie's power is an obvious threat. And so is his willingness to trade.

"He knows how to talk about a fight. He knows how to get people interested in what he's about to do, but more importantly, he knows how to fight, and he knows how to punch," Damon said.

"He stopped the vast majority of his opponents."

For Wyllie, stopping Reda would deliver far more than bragging rights.

"And to do so would be a huge statement and would give magnificent new life to his boxing career and propel him onto some seriously big fights," Damon said.

"So it's an exciting and highly anticipated domestic showdown and one that well and truly could steal the show on this mainstream boxing event on Friday night."

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With so much on the line, Damon expects neither man to take a backward step.

"It sets the scene for a fiery contest for a very willing fight given these two know exactly what is on the line and what this represents in their boxing careers," he said.

"And it's a fight I can't wait to call."