By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

In a contest that is expected to break Australian pay-per-view records, AFL football legend Barry Hall (0-0-1) and former Rugby Union – Rugby League star Sonny Bill Williams (8-0, 3 KOs) will clash in a heavyweight bout in Sydney, NSW, Australia on March 23.

“For the first time in my professional sporting career, I am fully concentrating on boxing,” said Williams who holds a 2013 victory over former IBF heavyweight champion Frans Botha. I know Barry Hall is a very hard man and his debut proved he has a tonne of skill, but he is inexperienced in the ring and nowhere near my class level. This fight against Hall starts the last chapter of my sporting career and I will take this win and move on to further big fights over the next 24-36 months.”

Hall, who is a former amateur boxing champion and had a draw with Australian heavyweight contender Paul Gallen in 2019 in his only professional fight, said Williams had never faced anyone of his size or skill. “I showed against Paul Gallen that I can go the distance and go hard,” Hall said. “Sonny Boy has made a mistake in taking this fight, I intend to finish his boxing career and open up bigger fight opportunities for myself.”

Sonny Bill will train with Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker in the UK. The fight will air on the Stan PPV streaming service.