Share

SBW in doubt for Botha fight

Sydney - Former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams on Tuesday said his heavyweight boxing bout against South African Francois Botha was in doubt after picking up an injury playing rugby in Japan.

Williams, who in August quit the world champion New Zealand team to take up a club contract in Japan, injured his pectoral muscle playing for the Panasonic Wild Knights on Saturday.

He arrived in Sydney on Tuesday to prepare for the Botha fight next month but said he needed to have scans on the injury before deciding whether he went ahead with the bout.

"At the moment, it (the fight) is a little bit in doubt," Williams told Fox Sports at Sydney airport.

"I just came back here straight away.... I've got to get some scans and see how the pec is, see the extent of the injury."

Williams, the New Zealand heavyweight champion, is set to take on veteran Botha, 44, in Brisbane on November 24.

Williams, who is on a contract to play 12 matches for Panasonic worth a reported US$1.2 million, crunched his shoulder attempting a tackle on former Western Force centre Gene Fairbanks during Saturday's match.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1814 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1774 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1082 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 459 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 186 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE