Jonny Stapleton
Former New Zealand rugby star and competitive heavyweight pro boxer Sonny Bill Williams [8(3)-0] is training for his next fight in a Dublin boxing club.
The Rugby World Cup winner takes on former Aussie Rules bad boy Barry Hall in Sydney on March 23, in what will be his ninth professional bout.
Williams is using Monkstown BC, the home of the likes of Elite Champions Sean Mari and Jack Marley, as his training base ahead of the ‘grudge’ match.
The heavyweight, who also excelled in Rugby League with the Bulldogs and Kiwis, recently revealed he was going to train alongside the Andy Lee-coached Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker for the fight and was expected to pitch up in Morecombe. However, it turns out he is camping one-on-one with Lee in St Joseph’s Boys Sports Hall, the current home of Monkstown BC.
Williams has competed in the squared circle previously having debuted as far back as 2009, whilst he was competing as a professional rugby player.
He went on to become New Zealand heavyweight champion by beating Clarence Tillman in February 2012 but took a break in 2015.
The dual-code rugby star returned to the ring with a win against Waikato Falefehi last June. He is not the first New Zealand big man to come and train in Dublin either.
Former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has also trained in the city and could be seen around town after teaming up with Limerick’s Dublin-based Kronk schooled Andy Lee.
Caption: Major League: Former All Black rugby star Sonny Bill Williams (second right) at a recent session in Monkstown
Boxing Club where he is being coached by legendary Irish World Champiom Andy Lee (far left)
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