- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The other day I was down at my local pub here on the Gold Coast drinking a nice cold one, and I got talking to this old bloke named Ralph about boxing.
Now Ralph knew all the ins and outs of boxing; he knew everything – like a walking boxing encyclapedia. I mean, this guy knew his stuff; he was talking about how the corruption in boxing had plagued the sport for so long and he was very emotional about it all.
So when it came time to bring up his thoughts on Sonny Bill Williams (SBW), I was very nervous about what his reaction would be. I mean, this guy looked like an old time boxer – you know the type, scars on the face, missing teeth, a nose that looked like it had been busted up on a number of occasions… you know, the ones you don’t upset.
I just came out with it. “What are your thoughts on SBW?” I said to him. The look on his face said it all; he was disgusted with me for even mentioning it. He said: “I ought to slap the taste out of your mouth for even bringing that up. Sonny is making a mockery out of boxing and it disgusts me.”
He said a lot more other stuff but I can’t say most of it, but one thing did stick with me; he said there are so many good boxers out there working their butts of training everyday, working at the same time as hoping for there big break.
They will never get the coverage Sonny does. But they do it because they love it; they do it because it’s in there blood – and that’s what boxing is about. Sonny wouldn’t know boxing if it jumped out and hit him in the backside. This guy was emotional and the thought of bringing up Mundine didn’t cross my mind.
Now lets talk about SBW’s last professional bout; it was a PPV event that he co-main evented with Mundine. I mean, come on, would you want to pay Sonny Bill fourty bucks to beat up on a middle age over weight preist who looked like he had not been in a ring for years.
No disrespect to Mr Alipate Liavia’a, aged 43, who did land some good blows but clearly was in no shape to fight Sonny, which was a shame because he may have mopped the floor with him in his heyday.
When you watch Sonny box, to me he just doesn’t look right. A true boxer is fluint with his movement, their heads move back and forward side to side, their feet always working the floor, pumping like pistons… their like poetry in motion.
It’s like the great Ali said. “Float like a butterfly sting like a bee.” Well, Sonny looks more like an ostrich in the ring; tall, lanky, his head upright, limited foot movement, he looks like he’s affraid to get hit.
Is he mocking the sport of boxing and not even realising it, or is he just after the quick payday?
Let’s be fair. Sonny is a freak of an athlete and he has a body that a model would die for, but since when did looking good and being a pro rugby player mean you could get a free pass to profeesional boxing – SBW hasn’t even had an amatuer career.
Sonny is supposed to be fighting Richard Tutaki on February 8, but Tutaki has been charged for drug possesion and manufacturing meth amphetimine, and even if he was able to fight he said he is in no condition for the bout. What makes things even more interesting is his unflattering record of 19 wins and 21 losses.
So who will be SBW’s next opponent? Maybe David Tua will get sick of watching Sonny pose as a boxer and call him out. Or the great Joe Buggner will come out of retirement and teach Sonny a lesson.
Whatever happens, I’m sure the disaster train of Mundine and co will roll on.
Let’s get ready to rumble! Pick a fighter and place your bets with PlayUp for great odds. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.