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.
Matt Ward
Guest
Did the journo just call Sonny lanky haha. I met a old scared pugilist down at the pub and we got talking about everything that is wrong in the world of boxing and then I brought up Sonny Bill. I'm sure the biggest topic in boxing at the moment is the fact that Mr Williams is ruining it beyond repair. A populist article if ever I read one, pay no mind masses. Another hack living in his own world that he read about somewhere. Oh I think I smell a rat. What is the starting salary for this crap. ect ect
steve b
Guest
nice words Braden i to have been involved with boxing now for over 30 yrs training both pro and amatuer aussie champions it sickins me to death when so called former trainers and boxers come out and bag other boxers who are trying the best they can . To say that mundine is a disgrace to boxing really should keep their comments to the pub and not hear online 'We are struggling to get crowds in all venues it cost abloody fortune to put on an event so the last thing we need is big mouths who think they know it all knocking those who are givng their all for the sport we need positive comments not the constant crap that comes out of these so called experts anyone who can generate interest in our sport is doing it a favour as long as its done in a positive way and not demeening other people who are having a go whether it be .SBW or the young lad that might be having his first fight and is not so skilled they all deserve whatever they can get out of the sport not d.head comments from armchair experts .
Braden
Guest
SBW has donated quite a substantial amount of his prize money to charity. READ about this guy before you spew the drivvle that some of you have generously yet, unecessarily shared with us. He's a talented guy, save your opinions for the pub, not here online.
Tyler
Guest
In 1947 Kevin Skinner was made heavy weight champion of New Zealand. He was also an All Black who boxed on the side. So it is not some recent deterioration of boxing that has caused rugby players to enter the ring. Even though SBW hasn't trained long he has a good chance as many heavy weights are terribly un-fit and rely on large amounts of fat for their weight and tire very easily. How can a well toned athlete trying there hand at boxing be anymore of 'deterioration' in the standard of boxing than fatties throwing hay-makers?
Damien
Roar Guru
Tillman's physique isn't that impressive even when he's in shape. Everyone's different. Some people that are really out of shape still have six packs and some that look like slobs are in great fighting condition.
Scotty
Guest
Well he'd get whipped in table tennis too!
The Grafter
Guest
Tua would severly damage him, probably easier than when he destroyed Shane Cameron 2 years ago.
onor
Guest
your on drugs
James31
Roar Rookie
Hey guy's thanks for your reply's I have genuine concerns for Sonny if this tillman, is the real deal and doesn't take a dive I mean I can't vauge for his fitness butif he's around 6'ft 5 and 120 kilo's you got to think he has genuine knock out power and the way Sonny leaves his head exposed and his jaw sticking out Ior the world to see I can onlly see this ending badly. Another concern I have for Sonny is that he hasn't done the rounds in boxing meaning he aint even battlle hardened it's like getting a young 17 year old who's played club rugby all his life and you decide to chuck him iinto the nrl and tell him to play front row whats going to happen he's going to get smashed. Has Mundines really put Sonny Bill throw his pases has someone layed one on his chin and tested him out to see if he can handle it. If Tillman is all what he says then Sonny Bill could get hurt. Every fighter out there will tell you theres no such thing as a partime Pro boxer you put your whole life into it and do it properly or you don't do it at all Sonny Bill will learn the hard way...
Damien
Roar Guru
SBW bashing in terms of his boxing isn't going to stop anytime soon. Be it becasue of jealousy, misunderstanding the situation or jbecause they just plain ole' don't like him. It will never end. He could win this fight against Tillman and people will accuse Tillman of being 'backhanded'. or that Tillman was out of shape. There will always be a reason to discredit him. If you look objectively at SBW's 'boxing' career its nothing really special. No blinding speed, no jaw dropping skill, no scary knock outs. Actually if SBW wasn't an All Black/League convert etc no one would even give a crap. That's where he's different from all the other boxers who are just starting out. Now because he's making stack loads of cash all of a sudden there's a problem. He's making a mockery of boxing they say. Never mind that he with his rugby training is training 5 days a week, 10 hours a day. No one has ever seen him get hit yet or react to getting hit and yet there are claims that he only worries about how good he looks in the mirror. (I don't think many boxers like getting hit though). I wonder what reasons these boxing experts have to say that SBW is making a mockery of boxing. Can't be because the quality of the opponents. If it was then Lucas Browne, Alex Leapai and Paul Briggs (before the slide) stand accused of the same thing. I've chosen these fighters because apart from Mundine and Green, I think most Roarers would sort of know who they are. These guys were/are full time fighters. I'm not bagging these guys. They're genuine fighters and deserve respect. I just want to highlight how some experts have sellective memory. Lucas Browne : Big Daddy is a pretty scary guy. He is currently 10 - 0 in boxing with 9 KO's. In his 2nd pro fight he took on Sam Leuii who was 13 - 24 (16 KO losses). In his 4th pro fight he took on Alipate Liava' (we all know his story) and KO'd him and as if that wasn't enough he took him on again in his 10th pro fight and KO'd him again. Both the Liava fights were in 2011. Alex Leapai : The Lion Heart's name has been mentioned a few times on this forum but in his 7th pro fight he took on Hiriwa Te Rangi who was 0 - 7 (4 KO losses). In his 19th and 20th pro fight he hammered Oscar Talemaira who was 3 - 18 and 3 - 20 by the time they fought again. Then in his 23rd fight he KO'd Hiriwa Te Rangi again who was now 0 -12. Paul Briggs : Before his very public fall from grace Briggs was an absolute animal in the ring. He was knocking guys out left, right and centre early in his career. In his 3rd fight he smashed Ken Suavine who was 3 - 7, then smashed Jamie Wallace in his 5th fight who was 13 - 22, then in his 9th fight he smashed Ken Suavine again who was now 3 - 10. Like I said before. I'm in no way bagging these guys. These guys train their butts off too. This is the fight game and that just the nature of the beast. Sometimes a fighter needs a few cans to make his record look good, sometimes they just need to keep active, whatever the reason is, that just the way it goes. Not once have I heard anyone of these experts accuse these fighters of making a mockery of boxing. I mean look a Alex Leapai taking on someone with a 0 -12 record in his 23rd pro fight. Where's the indignation there ?
scott eagar
Guest
onor..... you are on drugs., SBW could take the world title cause hes a gifted athlete??? are you serious??? SBW. doesn't like being hit. Hes too pretty and precious. lets see him after tillman... hahahah you are making my sides hurt.SBW the world champ... hahahahaha
onor
Guest
in my opinon sbw.. could take the world heavy weight title if he chose to take on boxing fulltime.. he is a gifted athlete!
Ko'd
Guest
Agree with everythibg you say Scott and i too have been involved in the sport as a fighter(amateur&professional) and hold my amateur coaching accreditation(Level 1) to train fighters and my professional trainers licence BUT i have never beleived Anthony Mundine is a disgrace to the sport if anything he has kept it alive for the last 10 yrs.Cheers
Ko'd
Guest
I am with you on this one Grafter.The last genuine heavyweight Australia produced was a guy called Dave Russell.
scott eagar
Guest
Ive been involved in boxing both as a fighter and a coach for years, never earning a cent. And Id do it all again because I love the sport of Boxing. Its in my blood. It always has been. To see a young fit and huge SBW in the ring with an old, fat, short, slow church minister in his last fight, and I was embarrassed. What a joke, SBW is being fed all sorts of Bull from Mundine and Nasser about how hes a champion fighter, and I truly think he believes it. SBW will quit boxing the day someone actually hits him. Anyone who has ever been in the ring knows what I mean the first time you cop your first "rea"l punch. 90% of boxers will never get back in the ring. Ive been there. I was 19 years old and was flattened in my first sparring session by a guy in his 30's. I stood back up and thought "holy sh!t" and proceeded to pretend it didn't hurt. I too could of walked away I dont think SBW will get back up. Hes all about movement and style. He's about how good he looks in the mirror. Tillman needs to back him into a corner in round one and let him know what it is to get hit.. The next day SBW will say Bye Bye to boxing... Mundine and SBW you are a disgrace to the sport. scott eagar
Johnno
Guest
There is no way SBW could beat Alex Laupaui not yet maybe never he is a quality fighter on the rise. And Hamonou would beat SBW currently too, as would David Tua even at his age beat SBW.
The Grafter
Guest
For some reason JAck, Australia has struggled to produce a good heavyweight. The best of the big boys over the past 25 years have come from NZ. Kali Meehan, Jimmy Thunder (Peau), Craig Peterson, Colin Wilson, Alex Laupai come to mind.
The Grafter
Guest
Well written Mrs Williams.
The Grafter
Guest
Tillman SHOULD go straight through him Luke, in fact, I will be having a fair bit of dough on him ONCE I see what he looks like at the weigh in.
The Grafter
Guest
On the contrary Riddick, the majority of Australia's better boxers (and Im involved with a few of them) get pay days of 3-4k. If you fight 6 times a year, thats not even the average wage. Most of them work full-time. Its only the boys at the top of the tree, Green, Geale, Mundine, and a few just under them,ie Les Sherrington, that through sponsorship, can be fulltime pro's and train twice a day with rest that overseas fighters can afford to do.