Gallen will return to the ring on the undercard of Daniel Geale's bout against fellow world-ranked Australian Jarrod Fletcher at the Hordern Pavillion on December 3.

The winner of the Geale-Fletcher bout will take out the WBA, IBF and WBO regional middleweight titles. Geale hopes a victory will be a step towards regaining his WBA and IBF world crowns.

The development comes amid speculation Gallen could be fined as much as $50,000 for his social media attack on the NRL, while the governing body may also impose a suspension which could include representative fixtures.

While Gallen, the NSW and Australian skipper in rugby league and an orthodox heavyweight in boxing, is yet to lock in an opponent it is understood negotiations to fight Watts have progressed.

While Gallen has found himself in hot water in recent times, his rap sheet pales in comparison to that of Watts. The pair were teammates during Cronulla's 2007 campaign but a string of incidents has limited Watts to just 52 NRL games for the Sharks and Cowboys.

The now 28-year-old Watts turned to boxing after he was banned for eight games for biting an opponent's penis while playing for the Tugun Seahawks. His professional career was already at a crossroads after joining outlaw bikie gangs and racking up a stack of criminal charges.

The utility playmaker has been sacked from several clubs for disciplinary problems. His rap sheet includes being charged with assault for occasioning actual bodily harm following an altercation with his girlfriend and numerous arrests for brawls and possession of weapons.

Now Watts, who has spent time behind bars, is hoping to channel his aggression towards Gallen on a fight card with a distinct NRL flavour.

Willis Meehan, the son of former heavyweight Kali Meehan, will make his professional debut against Willie Nasio in the same year he made his first-grade debut with the Sydney Roosters. The younger Meehan has indicated he wants to reach the top in both sports simultaneously.

Gallen is no stranger to controversy, either, and has gained more notoriety while serving his backdated suspension for unwittingly taking banned substances during the 2011 season. The Blues forward is facing the prospect of a heavy fine – and potentially more time on the sidelines – for bringing the game into disrepute following a drunken twitter rant.

After learning Cronulla CEO Steve Noyce was sacked, Gallen posted: "Steve Noice [sic] actually cared about players from cronulla's feelings. Couldn't say that about any other c--- from Nrl." While the tweet was deleted and later replaced with an apology, the governing body is poised to come down with harsh sanctions if it is deemed Cronulla's punishments are insufficient.

Gallen had to climb from the canvas to win his only other professional bout, against Herman Ene Purcell, at the same venue in February. He had previously beaten All Blacks forward Liam Messam in a charity event to raise funds for Fight For Life.

Gallen and Geale are friends, and the footballer took time out of Origin preparations midyear to support the former world champion in his lost bout to Germany's Gennady Golovkin.

Other fights on the card include Kerry Foley v Trent Broadhurst, Jake Carr v Renold Quinlan, Shane Quinn v Mark Flanagan and Nathan Reddy v Jordan Williams.