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Sonny Bill Williams: From Rugby Field Dominance to the Boxing Ring’s Solitude
Sonny Bill Williams, renowned for his powerful tackles on the rugby pitch, seamlessly transitioned to professional boxing, a move fueled initially by financial necessity and ultimately driven by a complex relationship with competition and self-discovery.
The cross-code superstar’s foray into boxing wasn’t a post-career whim, but a calculated response to a significant debt. Williams reportedly owed $1 million AUD after abruptly leaving the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2008 mid-season to join Tana Umaga’s Toulon in a pioneering move to union. “At the start it was through necessity because I was in $1 million debt and the guys who funded my start were boxers,” Williams explained to Rugby World. “So that is how it started and it lit a fire that I have not been able to extinguish.”
A crucial benefactor in Williams’s boxing journey was Ricki Hatton, who provided guidance and support. Williams’s professional debut in 2009 against Beau Hossel was a swift victory, setting the stage for a brief but intriguing boxing career interwoven with his rugby commitments.He secured victories in his first eight fights, claiming the New Zealand Professional Boxing Cruiserweight title in 2011. During this period, he also claimed the vacant New Zealand heavyweight title, though he acknowledged his true athletic calling lay on the rugby field. “A nice hit or a nice offload was always good but with boxing it is so uncomfortable for me,” Williams admitted. “I didn’t grow up boxing… everything about the boxing game is unfamiliar to me.”
He returned to the ring in 2021 after concluding his second stint with the Sydney Roosters. Victories over waikato Falefehi and Barry Hall followed, but his undefeated record came to an end in 2022 with a fourth-round TKO loss to MMA star Mark Hunt, an 11-year senior.
The psychological toll of a boxing defeat, Williams found, differed significantly from a rugby loss. “It’s easier to get over a rugby loss than a boxing loss. I can share the heartache with 14 other guys.In the ring,it is indeed just me.”
In July, Williams faced long-time rugby league rival Paul Gallen in a highly anticipated bout.Despite a decade-long rivalry filled with verbal sparring, Williams insisted the fight wasn’t about personal animosity. “It is not in my blood to fight,” he stated. “It’s in my blood to be a soft teddy bear, as my wife would tell you. But the beauty of this fight… is because there is (real) skin in the game.” He added that Gallen represented aspects of the system he disliked.
During training for the Gallen fight, observed in Brisbane during the Lions tour, Williams was asked which British & Irish Lion he believed would perform best in the boxing ring. He pointed to Bundee Aki, stating, “I always say your tight five are ones to watch… But I cannot look past my man Bundee Aki. He has something in him. He would probably be walking around in the second round blowing and then come with an overhand right and do something special.”
Williams contrasted the team dynamic of rugby with the isolating nature of boxing. “You ask the rugby boys how tough boxing is; hitting the bags is tough but try having someone punch you back (in the face).” He emphasized the unique thrill of boxing, comparing it to the “sink or swim energy” of a World Cup or Super Rugby final. “That’s why I say this is a privilege (to still fight).”
ultimately, Williams lost to Gallen by split decision in what he declared would be his final professional fight. Even for a champion, a fairytale ending isn’t always guaranteed.
Here is a Twitter post about the fight
Here is a Twitter post about Williams
This article first appeared in issue 315 (November 2025) of Rugby World magazine.
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