James McClean and his Wrexham team are in Australia right now, for part of their pre-season tour down under before they get going in the Championship.
Last summer, Wrexham did a pre-season tour of the USA called the Wrex Coast Tour, where they played games against the likes of Bournemouth and Chelsea.
It was part of a broader project to keep on building their fanbase across the pond, given the sheer success and popularity of the Welcome to Wrexham docuseries, and in turn the popularity of the club and the players.
But Welcome to Wrexham was also popular in Australia. Season four was one of the most watched documentaries in the country when it aired in May and so it makes sense that the club goes down under to try and build more fandom there.
And last week, Wrexham beat Melbourne Victory 3-0 in their opening friendly, with Phil Parkinson’s side next playing Sydney FC later on Tuesday afternoon.
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James McClean went straight to the boxing gym after Wrexham arrived in Australia
Speaking with The Athletic from Australia, fan favourite James McClean revealed what he did when he landed in the country last week. Upon finding out that the club was going to Australia, the veteran Irishman explained how he instantly googled boxing gyms in the area.
The 36-year-old explained: “Boxing is a sport I love, which is why I was in the boxing gym within a few hours of us arriving in Australia. It was always my plan. Something to keep me ticking over. It was the first thing I googled when we were told where we were going in pre-season.
“In the end, the gym actually got in touch with me. I know a few people in the boxing game, so that probably helped. They invited me along and I was more than happy to accept.”
McClean is often posting videos of himself boxing on social media. In fact, after returning from pre-season, McClean revealed how he was in a boxing camp through the off-season, showing off his fitness levels despite being one of the older members of the squad.
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Will Jake Paul ever fight Wrexham star James McClean?
McClean is among the Wrexham players out of contract in 2026, and at 36 years old, McClean could well choose to turn his attentions more towards boxing as his footballing years start to inevitably wind down.
And there’s been speculation that McClean could fight Jake Paul. But whether that’s likely remains to be seen, although it would certainly be a spectacle that attracts interest in both the UK and the US.
Speaking previously, Ryan Reynolds gave his verdict on Paul and McClean fighting, suggesting that Parkinson wouldn’t allow it whilst McClean was a Wrexham player.
Reynolds said: “The problem is Phil, right. Phil would be like, ‘You want to send my player in to get in a fight to fight this guy’.”
But McClean boxing down in Australia certainly adds more fuel to the fire that he could one day step in the ring, and Paul could prove to be a great matchup for the Irishman.