Sonny Bill Williams vs. Frans Botha

Undercard:

Undercard to Williams V Botha, February 8

Light Welterweight - Waylon Law v Jezze Carrasco

Middleweight - Jarrod Fletcher v Kiatchai Singwancha

Super Middleweight - Bilal Akkawy v Paul Edwards

Heavyweight - Alex Leapai v Matt Hicks

Heavyweight - Daniel Baff v Peter Brennan

Cruiserweight - Quade Cooper v Barry Dunnett

Heavyweight - Sonny Bill Williams v Frans Botha

Hello and welcome to Brisbane Entertainment Centre - the setting for the eagerly anticipated WBA International Heavyweight Title Fight between Sonny Bill Williams and Francois ‘White Buffalo’ Botha.

These boxers come from very different backgrounds; SBW a relative boxing greenhorn is looking to elevate his sporting career to even loftier heights. While Botha, a journeyman of sorts will be hoping to add to his 29 career knock out’s and perhaps re-launch a fading boxing career.

We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (available immediately AFTER each fight) and all the boxing action.

botha

"He's got a lot of big balls, and I don't mean rugby balls," Botha told The Courier-Mail.

"Why is he taking this chance? He should stick to rugby because I will hit him so hard that when he tries to catch the ball, he'll just miss it.
"When I catch him he's going to go. I'll drag him to deep water and let him drown. He's never fought a guy like me, it's stupid.
"Sonny should have fought my son, my son would kick his arse and he's not even a professional.
"I don't know what planet he (Williams) is from but I don't think he's from planet Earth."
Botha (48-8) has fought a who's who of heavyweights in an outstanding 23-year professional career. Names like Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield decorate his impressive record.
He has lost his last three fights, but gone past 10 rounds in each one.

Sonny Bill Williams

Sonny Bill Williams' former manager has called into question the player's deal with the Roosters. Source: Getty Images

Williams (5-0) is decidedly the better athlete, but has not been past six rounds so far in his career. He won his last fight against Clarence Tillman in a first round knockout, displaying solid boxing technique and power.
Botha was adamant Williams had no idea how taxing a 12-round fight could be and that his talented but inexperienced son Marcel "Mayhem" Botha would also beat him.
"In real life, he should never have an opportunity to fight a guy like me with just five fights to his name," he said. "I'm only taking this fight because of his notoriety in rugby."
Williams has repeatedly said he would retire if he was knocked out in this bout.
"He's already retired then," Botha quipped.