What is it going to take for the Australian heavyweight title contender to be regarded as a boxer, and not a rugby league player?

The fact so many still see Gallen as the tough as nails footballer says something about the magnitude of his achievements. He's a premiership and State of Origin series-winning captain, a veteran of 348 NRL games and 32 Tests.

But the reality is Gallen hasn't been a footballer since 2019. Today he is a prize fighter. Love him or hate him, he's providing a platform for the country's next crop of boxing stars to be seen on the big stage.

Garside, who defends his Australian lightweight title against Layton McFerran in Newcastle on Wednesday night, is among them. So too Nikita Tszyu, who faces undefeated super welterweight Mason Smith on the same card.

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"Everyone always keeps labelling him as an NRL player, he's well and truly a boxer now," Olympic Games bronze medallist and 2-0 professional Garside said.

"He's fought some of the best in the sport in this country. He's an exceptional athlete and he has done amazing things. Gal never shies away from a challenge.

"Paul Gallen has done amazing things for this sport. I'm very grateful for Paul and what he has done for us young fighters, giving us a platform."

Which is why Gallen will chase the ANBF Australian and Australasian heavyweight titles when he faces Kri Terzievski at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Wednesday night.

Terzievski has been beaten just once in 12 professional fights. Three times he has fought a rival with a winning record. The first was a majority draw, the second he lost via technical knockout, the third he won.

It was Faiga "Django" Opelu who forced the Victorian to retire in his corner five rounds into their 10 round bout in November 2019.

So Gallen enters as the bookies' favourite in Newcastle, vowing to leave Terzievski on the canvas.

"I think once you quit in life, it's in you. That's my opinion. You quit once in life, you quit again because that's an easy option," Gallen said.

"I saw that from him against Django. He quit against Django after five rounds. I've sparred Django and know Django, great fighter, a really good fighter, but I apply more pressure than Django does.

"For him to get him out of there in five rounds after applying that pressure, he's got no hope against me. I've got 10 rounds to do it. There's going to be plenty of pressure applied. You quit once, it's in you, and he'll quit again.

"[I will] just walk him down. I'm going to cop some shots, there's no doubt about that. He's faster, he's young, he's fit, he's very skilful. But he can't keep running away for 10 rounds, round after round.

"Three minutes is a long time and he's not Superman so eventually I'm going to catch up with him and I think I knock him out."

Gallen has fought for the Australian title before, falling to Justis Huni. Should he win it this time, where it ranks remains to be seen.

"It's going to be very satisfying and a huge achievement for myself. I've been lucky enough to win premierships, win Origin, play for my country. To be able to do this, it's not something I set out to do, but to be able to do it is going to be pretty special," Gallen said.

"I'm not sure where it will rate, to be honest with you. I want to be able to win it and find out just how good it is, because it's going to be very special. I've trained really hard for this, it's been a long time coming. If I get the job done, I'll let everyone know where it rates."

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