Sonny Bill Williams is back in the ring this month. Photo / Photosport
Sonny Bill Williams is back in the ring this month. Photo / Photosport
Sonny Bill Williams admits he wasn't a natural boxer and only got into the sport because of significant financial debt.
The cross-code superstar, who will fight AFL champion Barry Hall in Sydney on March 23, says he found himself in $1 million debt after leaving the Bulldogs in the NRLto play rugby in France in 2008.
He says it was good friend and trainer Anthony Mundine's idea for him to step into the ring, leading to his first boxing fight against Gary Gurr on the undercard of Mundine's bout in 2009.
"I couldn't throw a punch," Williams told Wide World of Sports.
"When I took off from the Bulldogs I was in $1 million debt. So I had a few financial struggles in France for a few years. When I came back Choc (Mundine) and (manager) Khoder Nasser thought it would be a great idea to jump on the card just to knock off a little bit of that debt that I owed them. Hence the reason I got in the ring [against Gurr].
"So when we were in France, he (Mundine) got me to shape up and throw a punch but, besides a few fights growing up, I wasn't that aggressive style that I played with on the footy field. I never went in the boxing gym and learned how to throw a proper jab or straight right so that's why it's pretty funny to see where I'm at now."
Sonny Bill Williams during his first boxing fight against Gary Gurr in 2009. Photo / Photosport
Williams, now 36, has come a long way since then and has amassed a perfect 8-0 record in the ring, including victories over legitimate professionals.
Aside from having Mundine in his corner for his next bout, Williams has also been training with some big boxing names, including Kiwi stars Joseph Parker and David Nyika and world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
