-
Sonny Bill Williams in his dressing room with his girlfriend Jaime Ridge and her mother Sally Ridge - Source: Photosport -
Related
He came. He saw. He conquered. Although perhaps a little too easily for most punters.
Sonny Bill Williams may have knocked out his chunky opponent Clarence "High Tide" Tillman in the first round last night, but his fifth win in as many professional bouts seems to have
attracted criticism and commendation in equally predictable amounts.
2mins 54 seconds is all it took, a flurry of unanswerred punches from Williams giving referee Lance Revill no choice but to step in and prematurely end the showpiece - something
I'd like to call a "contest", only that adjective doesn't seem quite appropriate.
All the usual arguments defending Sonny's potential and/or prowess have already been aired, including the one about "you can only fight the guy put in front of you", so not a lot of point regurgitating those coals long since raked.
But for me, the most frustrating aspect to this (and each of his previous fights) is also the most glaringly obvious. When is SBW going to enter the ring with someone who looks like they've spent
as much time training to box as they have enjoying the pre-match buffet?
Let's pull no punches here: If Clarence Tillman's heart was as big as his belly, then maybe it would've been a fight worth taking seriously.
Mind you, compared to Sonny's last opponent, (the sickness beneficiary with an injured arm), Clarence looked positively Tyson-esque.
On further reflection, Williams' ear was quite possibly the only thing "Tubby" Tillman hadn't eaten before this latest mis-match.
As far as value for money goes, $40 (or roughly $14 a minute) to buy the fight on pay-per-view does seem a little rich. Especially when you consider thatfor the same sort of investment you cant buy almost a season's ticket's worth of the bloke playing for the Chiefs.
In the end it's all about the hype'n'headlines and SBW has again created a mountain sized pile of both those, the only people left happier than his closest supporters must surely be his ever-loyal sponsors.
So Sonny Bill Williams now has a Heavyweight title to go alongside his Rugby World Cup winners' medal.
Less impressive remains the fact he spent less time playing the final than he did winning the fight.
Add a Comment:
Post new comment