All Blacks legend Sonny Bill Williams has Andy Lee in his corner as he prepares to fight former AFL star Barry Hall this week.
Williams and Hall have been taking swipes at each other all week ahead of the bout, and Williams believes his opponent is not showing him the same respect he has been afforded.
The All Blacks icon pointed to the time he spent in Ireland preparing for the fight and dispelled Hall's claim that he was arrogant.
“I’ve been over to Ireland for six weeks to prepare for Barry, that’s how much I respect him as a fighter.
“Obviously he doesn’t respect me as a fighter.
“For him to call me arrogant is laughable in the sense that he’s already said that he’s going to fight me and Paul Gallen and then walk off into the sunset.
“In his head he must be thinking that it’s a foregone conclusion that he’s just going to walk straight through me and then onto Paul – I think that’s arrogant."
Williams is well backed by Irish boxing hero Andy lee - who believes the rugby legend has it in him to become heavyweight champion of the world.
He said: "I’m not blowing smoke; my ambition with Sonny is to one day fight for the heavyweight championship.
“It is well within his reach. With the progression he has made in the past six to eight weeks, the way I see him going in the future, with the right fights and the right training, he certainly has the ability.
“Is that the greatest story in sports history, if he fights for the heavyweight title?
“The blueprint is there. He’s a different person altogether.
“If Sonny wins the fight against Barry Hall, it might be a stinker of a performance and people will be saying, ‘You’re crazy saying that.’ Trust me, with progression and time he’ll get more comfortable in the ring. You’ll see.”
There has been plenty of build-up to this one - here are all the details you need ahead of the fight.
Where is the fight taking place?
The fight will take place in the Aware Super Theatre at the ICC Exhibition Centre in Sydney.
When does the fight take place?
The fight takes place on Wednesday, March 23.
What time is it due to begin?
Given the considerable time difference, it will be an early start for those wishing to tune in from Ireland; the fight night begins at 7am Irish time, with the fight of Williams and Hall the main event and so not likely to come until a couple of hours later.
How can I watch it?
Unfortunately, this fight is not available on TV for Irish viewers. You can, however, stay tuned to the Irish Mirror's website where you can keep up to date with all of the latest sports news.
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