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Auckland - Sonny Bill Williams dominated his heavyweight fight against Tongan Alipate Liava'a, scoring a comfortable unanimous points decision in Auckland.
According to the Stuff.co.nz website, Williams took every round in the six round fight at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere, maximising his height and reach against the squat Liava'a.
He finished with a flurry but couldn't put Liava'a away but he was happy with his effort.
"A couple of times I thought that I had him but he is like a rock," Williams said afterwards.
"I was pretty nervous with this being my first fight in New Zealand. Now I can concentrate on the Crusaders and All Blacks."
Williams's win was witnessed by his All Blacks coaches Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith who were ringside along with the rugby star's Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder.
Fellow All Blacks and Crusaders Ben and Owen Franks were in his corner and other rugby notables in the crowd included players Liam Messam, Eric Rush, Stephen Brett, All Blacks manager Darren Shand and NZRU staffer Neil Sorenson.
The win took the 25-year-old Williams's professional record to a perfect four from four, with two of them knockouts.
For Liava'a it was his eighth loss in a row from 12 fights.
The build-up to the contest had been dragged into controversy with revelations of Liava'a collecting a sickness benefit for an elbow injury.
Liava'a was happy to have survived: "I give all credit to you Sonny Bill. You have a big future, you were born to fight."
Williams was fighting in the Crusaders' bye week from Super Rugby. He will now join his team-mates for Saturday's clash with the Blues in Timaru.
According to the Stuff.co.nz website, Williams took every round in the six round fight at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere, maximising his height and reach against the squat Liava'a.
He finished with a flurry but couldn't put Liava'a away but he was happy with his effort.
"A couple of times I thought that I had him but he is like a rock," Williams said afterwards.
"I was pretty nervous with this being my first fight in New Zealand. Now I can concentrate on the Crusaders and All Blacks."
Williams's win was witnessed by his All Blacks coaches Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith who were ringside along with the rugby star's Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder.
Fellow All Blacks and Crusaders Ben and Owen Franks were in his corner and other rugby notables in the crowd included players Liam Messam, Eric Rush, Stephen Brett, All Blacks manager Darren Shand and NZRU staffer Neil Sorenson.
The win took the 25-year-old Williams's professional record to a perfect four from four, with two of them knockouts.
For Liava'a it was his eighth loss in a row from 12 fights.
The build-up to the contest had been dragged into controversy with revelations of Liava'a collecting a sickness benefit for an elbow injury.
Liava'a was happy to have survived: "I give all credit to you Sonny Bill. You have a big future, you were born to fight."
Williams was fighting in the Crusaders' bye week from Super Rugby. He will now join his team-mates for Saturday's clash with the Blues in Timaru.
