'He'll fight again': Sonny Bill Williams keen to fight alongside Quade Cooper
All Blacks great Sonny Bill Williams says he would “love” to fight alongside Wallabies star Quade Cooper as part of a headline boxing card.
Williams, the two-time World Cup winner who played 58 tests for the All Blacks between 2010 and 2019, is set to fight ex-AFL bad boy Barry Hall in Sydney on Wednesday in what will be his second fight since returning to boxing last June.
It was then when the 36-year-old triple-code star ended his six-year hiatus from the ring with an unanimous decision victory over Australian fighter Waikato Falefehi in Townsville.
Now the two-time NRL title-winner and former New Zealand heavyweight champion is looking to maintain his perfect 8-0 record with another win against Hall in the New South Wales capital.
Following on from his next bout, Williams is eager to extend his boxing career by another two years as enters the final chapter of his glittering sporting career.
“The plan is to do this for 24 months and see where it takes me,” Williams told Channel Nine days earlier this week.
Over the course those two years, Williams could find himself sharing a card with Cooper, the veteran first-five who returned from test rugby wilderness to star for the Wallabies last year.
It had been four years since Cooper last played for Australia, but the 33-year-old guided the Wallabies to five straight victories, including back-to-back wins over the Springboks, before returning to the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners in Japan.
Cooper’s performances have put him at the centre of Australia’s plans for next year’s World Cup in France, but it may be that he follows Williams back into boxing after that tournament.
Cooper has previously dabbled as a fighter, holding an unbeaten record across three professional fights held between 2013 and 2017.
The New Zealand-born playmaker made his boxing debut on the undercard of Williams’ bout against South African fighter Francois Botha eight years ago.
Cooper was also supposed to fight on the undercard of Williams’ bout with American boxer Chauncy Welliver in 2015, but later withdrew.
The prospect of Williams and Cooper teaming up on another boxing card isn’t out of the question, though, as the former told the Sydney Morning Herald in the lead-up to his fight with Hall that he believes his long-time friend isn’t done with boxing just yet.
“We’re always in contact. I’d love to have him here, and he loves boxing. I’d say once his next contract is up, he’ll fight again,” Williams, who retired from rugby union and rugby league last March, said.
“I reckon if the pandemic folded the [Japanese rugby] competition – there was some talk about that – I dare say he would be right here, right now, looking at a fighting career for himself.”
Cooper’s potential return to the ring could coincide with a highly-anticipated bout between Williams and rugby league legend Paul Gallen.
Williams and Gallen, the former NRL title-winning Cronulla Sharks captain, have long been linked with a big-money fight against each other, with Gallen having forged an impressive 12-1-1 professional boxing career since 2014.
Among those Gallen has fought includes Hall (who he drew with in 2019), former WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Browne (who he beat with a first round knockout last April) and ex-UFC star Mark Hunt (who he beat via unanimous decision in 2020).
He and Williams are yet to share a ring together, though, but the latter indicated that he wants that to change over the coming years.
“I know your next question will be, ‘Is Paul Gallen part of it [his two-year boxing plan]?'” Williams – who trained alongside WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in preparation for his fight against Hall – told Channel Nine.
“Definitely, but we’ll have to see how Wednesday night goes and, after a great victory, then we’ll work on what’s next.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments