When the day comes "I'll probably cry for a week", the one-time Dally M medallist says. Come next month the moment he dreams of will be a reality.

Carney, who fights former Clive Churchill medal winner Scott Prince on the All Stars Footy Rivals card in Townsville on Friday night, is about to welcome a baby boy with his partner Susie.

"When we found out I was having a little boy, I get goose bumps talking about that," Carney said.

"It's just something I've always wanted to have in my life. Obviously it took a lot longer because when I was playing, I was quite selfish and didn't want to have partners and stuff.

MORE SPORT

"Tradition lives, I get to run the Carney name again with a little boy. I can't wait for it, I'll probably cry for a week. It does feel surreal, because I'm 34 and I've got my first one on the way, it's going to be great."

The sight of Carney's face on fight posters, in newspapers and in front of television cameras is somewhat foreign to Susie Bradley.

But for Carney it serves as a reminder of what life used to be like, when he rode a roller coaster like few others during a tumultuous rugby league career.

So it is somewhat fitting Carney finds himself in north Queensland, where a year playing park football and living in Mick Nasser's Atherton pub saw him rebuild himself from Canberra Raiders discard to Dally M medal winner and Australian Kangaroos playmaker.

"It was a stepping stone in my life. I obviously had some highs and lows and 2008 was a disappointing year, leaving Canberra, the death of my father," Carney said.

"I moved here to Atherton not knowing anyone. It was difficult, but it put me in good stead for where I am in my life now. Obviously Mick and Maree [Nasser], I class them as family now. They're just up the road at Atherton at the pub.

"What they did for me, and how they went out on a limb for me, I'll be in debt to them for the rest of my life. We're always in close contact. I put a chapter in my book about my time here, north Queensland has got a place in my heart."

Carney now resides on the Gold Coast where he runs a concreting business while coaching the Byron Bay Red Devils.

"Life is busy," he says, "but good". Couple work and football with boxing and Carney has perhaps never been so busy, shedding almost 10 kilograms inside five weeks.

"By the time fight night comes I will have done 91 sessions in four and a half weeks. It takes you back to the hard work you'd done as an NRL player. Obviously I'm never going to be a boxer, but I applied myself, because you have to," Carney said.

"You don't want to go out there and disappoint yourself, because like anything, there's eyes watching. Life's opportunities can come from it, I've done everything possible to make myself a good fighter on the night."

ALL STARS FOOTY RIVALS

Friday: All Stars Footy Rivals: Josh Papalii v Ben Hannant at Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre, 7pm AEDT. TV: Live on Main Event.

Fight card:

Todd Carney (90.65kg) v Scott Prince (81.65kg)

Craig Gower (97.4kg) v Matt Bowen (88.1kg)

Sandor Earl (97.7kg) v Justin Hodges (102.3kg)

Willie Mason (116.6kg) v Sam Thaiday (122kg)

Junior Paulo (116.7kg) v Neville Costigan (102.6kg)

Josh Papalii (117.9kg) v Ben Hannant (102.8kg)