Sonny Bill Williams locks in mega-fight with NRL great Paul Gallen

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams will step back into the ring on July 16 for a highly anticipated boxing bout with NRL great Paul Gallen, with Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena set to host the fight that’s been a long time coming.

‘SBW’ has a perfect 9-0 record in professional boxing before fighting MMA icon Mark Hunt, who had been beaten by Gallen 11 months prior. Hunt overcame the odds to emerge victorious, winning with a fourth-round TKO, the first loss of Williams’ popular fight career.

Williams hasn’t fought since that November night in Sydney three years ago, and it’s the same story for Gallen, who last stepped into the ring on November 22, 2022. Gallen beat former Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos centre Justin Hodges at Aware Super Theatre.

Incredibly, Gallen had beaten Hodges and former NRL prop Ben Hannant on the same night a few months earlier, and everything seemed to be building towards a mega-fight with William, but it got to a point where that fight looked like it’d never happen.

Stan Sport confirmed on Tuesday that finally, after years of chat verbal blows between Williams and Gallen, the pair would get their chance to fight. The war of words is already underway, with Gallen (15-2-1) deciding not to attend the press conference at all.

“Hey guys, right about now, I’m supposed to be at the press conference for me vs Sonny Bill Williams, but clearly I’m not,” Gallen said in a video on Instagram.

“You see, this whole negotiation process has been about Sonny, so I thought I’d leave it that way. You know, I wanted to fight early in the year. Sonny wanted to fight later in the year because it didn’t suit him, so we’re fighting later in the year.

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“I wanted to fight over 10, three-minute rounds. He wanted eight. Then he wanted eight, two-minute rounds. So, now we’re doing two-minute rounds. Everything is always about Sonny.

“Sonny gets what Sonny wants. I didn’t want to steal his thunder today, so he can go and say whatever he wants to say.

“He’s a big enough star to carry this fight all on his own.”

Williams, who helped the All Blacks end their 24-year Rugby World Cup drought in 2011 before winning the sport’s top prize back-to-back in 2015, entered the world of professional boxing in 2009 against Gary Gurr.

SBW won that first fight by TKO before claiming the same result 13 months later against Ryan Hogan. Williams has also beaten Clarence Tillman and former AFL star Harry Hall by TKO during a 12-year stretch.

The legendary All Black has won another four fights by unanimous decision, including wins over highly experienced pro fighters Frans Botha and Chauncy Welliver. Williams was expected to beat Hunt in November, 2022, but everything changed when that bout didn’t go to plan.

“I mean, all his other pay-per-view shows have been absolute blockbusters, haven’t they? They’ve been good, haven’t they, Sonny? Big, big selling pay-per-view numbers you’ve done,” Gallen added.

“You’re an absolute superstar. You’re a better athlete, you’re a better boxer than me. You’re younger than me, you’re fitter. What hope do I have, mate? I’m just going to turn up on the night and give it a good old crack.

“I hope you feel like I’ve wasted your time, mate, because I feel like you’ve wasted my time the past 10 years. But finally, you built up the courage to jump in the ring with me. July 16, we’ll get it done.

“But you, you keep being a good boy, you keep doing what you’re told and I’ll give you some attention very, very soon. And I hope you train hard, because while I’m past my best, we all know that I’ve still got enough left in me to beat you.

“I’ll see you soon, champion.”