By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Australian Rules football legend Barry Hall (0-0-1) is confident of defeating former New Zealand heavyweight champion and Rugby League and Rugby Union football legend and popular fan favorite Sonny Bill Williams (8-0, 3 KOs) when they clash over eight rounds at the ICC Exhibition Centre in Sydney, NSW, Australia next Wednesday. The bout is expected to break viewership records when televised on Stan Event Pay-Per-View.

“I love boxing. It’s my number one sport,” said Hall. “Yes, I played AFL football back in the day but even when I was playing I was at home watching boxing all the time. It’s just something I have always loved. We were fully aware coming into (the Sonny Bill Williams fight) that everything was about Sonny. I see it as a bit arrogant, as well. Right through his Rugby League and Rugby Union career, there has been a lot of that shine through. It’s all about him. We have locked a date in now and he is going to have to pay for that.

“Hitting the pads and the bags and all those sorts of things is one thing but getting power and delivery on your opponent while you are sparring and fighting is the key. It’s come a long way. We have got down to the technique of sitting down on the punches and the power has come along. Putting your feet where they are meant to be when you are actually against someone is the next step and that has gone very well so I am putting some gloves on people.

“I don’t care what he does. He can be trained by whoever he wants. (Williams trained with Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker in England) If I had the opportunity to do that I would probably do it myself. I don’t really care who trains him or who he is with or who he is surrounded by. It’s just me and him in there. Myself, personally, I think he has gone over there to find something that’s not there. I said that before. I don’t need to do illustrious training camps.

“Sonny is a nice guy – everyone loves him. Good looking bloke. The girls love him. He has got New Zealand behind him and half of Australia are fans of him too. I am up against it from all angles. It’s one of those things when everyone likes someone and you got to turn their lights out it’s like shooting Bambi because everyone loves Bambi.”

Barry Hall is a former amateur boxing champion who boxed a draw in 2019 with Australian heavyweight contender Paul Gallen in his only professional contest. Williams’ biggest claim to fame is a ten round points victory over former world heavyweight champion Frans Botha in 2013.