Sonny Bill Williams has made it clear that he believes he holds the cards and leverage in negotiating a long anticipated fight with Paul Gallen.
Williams, who took just two minutes to demolish Barry Hall on Wednesday night, called out his fellow former NRL star while also hedging his bets.
“I feel like I’m the A-side of the situation,” Williams said.
Watch the full Turf War fight card, including Sonny Bill Williams vs Barry Hall
“We’ll just have to sit down and talk and see what happens. When and where, I’m not sure, but we’ll be talking soon. I’m not fussed if it happens or not but he’s always been part of that talk, to be part of that boxing journey so we’ll see what happens.”
Williams and Gallen spoke briefly after the fight at Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre.
Before the bout Gallen was tipping Hall to expose Williams’ “suspect chin” but the AFL great was badly exposed instead.
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Afterwards Hall – who drew with Gallen in 2019 – said Williams’ punches stung far more.
“Me and Gal go way back,” Williams said.
“There’s always words being said between me and him, especially from his half. I said I want to do this (boxing) for a couple of years and if it all works out then me and Paul Gallen could be part of that…
“That’s what makes great fights, is rivalries and we definitely have that. Me and Barry definitely have that – that’s the buzz of boxing, that entertainment factor as well.”
Williams said he was “overwhelmed” with emotion after battering Hall so quickly after preparing diligently for the fight.
The two-time Rugby World Cup winner spent six weeks in England and Ireland working with world champion Tyson Fury, Kiwi star Joseph Parker and gun trainer Andy Lee.
He also thanked the Mundine family for their support as well as his family.
“I’m grateful to be able to go home to them tomorrow and do the school drop off and pick up,” he quipped.
“I said at the press conference that boxing is a dirty sport and I knew that they knew everything about my training camp. I didn’t know anything about his. And I heard he was going to try and come forward.
“So for me, I just wanted to stand my ground and that’s what me and Andy Lee spoke about – stand my ground and let him feel my power. I’ve been working a lot on hand speed and technique and that was the reason for going overseas and training with Tyson Fury, training with Joe Parker and Andy Lee, to try and tidy up a few things.
“That came to fruition tonight, it happened in round one.”
Lee believes Williams, 36, can fight for the world heavyweight title if he continues to dedicate himself to the sport fulltime.
Williams admitted half of his opponents to date “have just been guys off the couch” but he was buzzing with the adrenaline of winning such a high profile fight.
He also told Wide World of Sports what Fury had told him in a pre-fight phone call.
“‘Get him Sonny, get in there lad, get in there lad! Get in there and smash his face!’
“That was one thing I learned from Tyson was beyond his physical attributes and what he does in the ring, his ring craftmanship, his mental strength is his biggest thing.
“He just goes in there and tells them ‘it’s either me or you and I’m not folding.’ That’s what I learned, the biggest thing I learned.
“I had to fly halfway across the world to learn that but it kind of took me back to my young days where it was by any means necessary. Just to play first grade, to provide, to buy that first house for mum, that wallpaper.
“It took me back to that mentality so very grateful.”
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