Barry Hall says he studied Sonny Bill Williams and knows he has what it takes to overthrow the undefeated code hopping superstar when they rumble later this year.
The former star of Swans and Bulldogs spoke out after it was announced on Sunday that Williams had agreed to box against Hall in Sydney again this year – at the end of the 2020 NRL season.
Williams has reportedly signed a short-term contract to return to the Roosters in the coming weeks – but is already considering his next move before finally returning to the English Super League with the Toronto Wolfpack.
According to The Age, Williams’ manager Khoder Nasser and Hall’s representative Danny Green have made an agreement that the fight will take place this year.
According to reports after Hall’s draw with Paul Gallen in the much-vaunted Code War brawl last year, both Williams and Hall would consider paying more than $ 2 million in paydays each time the fight breaks out.
Hall has now taken the first step forward, declaring that he “has what it takes” to finish Williams’ run of seven consecutive wins in the ring.
“I have nothing but respect for him. But when I say that, I think I have the tools to knock him down, ”Hall said to The Age.
“It’s a great fight, a lot of people will be interested in it. Hopefully the people with me and Gal (Paul Gallen) saw that I can move a little bit and that it will be a competitive fight.
“Hopefully it will come out, it will be great. It would be an honor for me to do this.
“We saw his last fight, it’s good for someone who hasn’t boxed so much.
“He’s obviously a great talent and a great athlete. He has punch and is fit, that’s half the battle for a heavyweight.
“He has a lot of tools. When I said that, I watched the fight and thought, ‘Yes, OK, I have what it takes.
“We’ll see soon.”
Australian boxing legend Green announced earlier this week that the fight could take place at Bankwest Stadium in western Sydney, provided the number of active coronavirus cases in NSW will allow viewers to take part in sporting events later this year.
Hall has not fought since his draw against Gallen in November, but Williams has not had a sanctioned fight since his unanimous win against Chancey Welliver in Sydney in 2015.
Williams fought bachelorette winner Stu Laundy at a charity event in 2018 – but the fight was not recognized as a professional, sanctioned fight.
Gallen admitted in April that he would probably never get his dream fight with Williams.
The former captain of the NSW State of Origin made a devastating assessment last week of Williams and his return to the NRL at the age of 35.
“He hasn’t played in the game since 2014,” Gallen said on WWOS radio. “It’s not the same Sonny Bill Williams that we all remember.
“If you think he will return to the NRL and be the player he was in 2013 (2014), you dream.”
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