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Home / Sport / Boxing

Boxing: Could Sonny Bill Williams fight YouTube star Jake Paul next?

NZ Herald
28 Mar, 2022 06:30 PM3 mins to read

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Could Jake Paul and Sonny Bill Williams be set for a clash in the ring. Photos / Getty and Photosport

Could Jake Paul and Sonny Bill Williams be set for a clash in the ring. Photos / Getty and Photosport

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The boxing trainer of Sonny Bill Williams looks to be proposing his next fight be against YouTube star Jake Paul.

Williams took little time to dispose of AFL great Barry Hall in Sydney last week, winning the bout in just 45 seconds.

The former All Blacks and league star now has a 9-0 boxing record with four knockouts stretching back to his maiden bout in 2009.

Responding to a video of Paul sparring posted by boxing promoters DAZN, Williams' trainer Andy Lee said: "Future fight: Sonny Bill Williams v Jake Paul".

Future fight @SonnyBWilliams vs @jakepaul https://t.co/T7O6qQxkQm

— Andy Lee (@AndyLeeBoxing) March 26, 2022
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Paul fights at cruiserweight while Williams is a heavyweight.

25-year-old Paul has more than 20 million YouTube subscribers and began a boxing career in an amateur bout four years ago. He has since recorded five victories including two against former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley.

Before Williams' victory last week, Lee declared the former NRL premiership winner and Rugby World Cup champion could be turned into a world heavyweight title contender.

Williams has now dedicated himself to boxing after his football career ended and went on a six-week training camp where he sparred with the likes of world champ Tyson Fury, former WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker and European champion Tommy McCarthy.

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"It's been a pleasure to train Sonny," Lee said during the pair's press conference. "For a man who's achieved so much in the sport world, he's very, very hungry, very, very dedicated, almost obsessive about boxing, so it's been a pleasure to train him.

Between school drop off, school pick up, martial arts class & a couple nappy changes, I was able to get back into the square office. 😂😂❤️❤️🥊 #backtoreality pic.twitter.com/TUYcXpUc4L

— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) March 28, 2022

"If I showed him something this morning, by the next time we met in the gym, I could see that he worked on it, practised it and thought about it, and was already improved at doing it. That taught me all I needed to know about Sonny and how serious he is about the game.

"You might think it's crazy but my ambition for Sonny over the next few years is to build him into a world title contender and eventually fight for the world championship because that's how good he can be. He has that natural ability but you combine that with the hunger he has, I think he can go all the way."

Lee also told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age: "Is that the greatest story in sports history if he fights for the heavyweight title?"

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