1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:12,027 Speaker 1: from Newstalk ZEDB. 3 00:00:12,627 --> 00:00:14,027 Speaker 2: Eleven minutes past two. 4 00:00:14,147 --> 00:00:16,587 Speaker 3: It's a fight that's been ten years in the making, 5 00:00:16,627 --> 00:00:20,227 Speaker 3: but is finally about to happen. After a decade of 6 00:00:20,587 --> 00:00:24,667 Speaker 3: verbal jabs back and forth. Keiwe Cross code sporting legend 7 00:00:24,827 --> 00:00:28,467 Speaker 3: Sonny Bill Williams and Australian rugby league hard man Paul 8 00:00:28,547 --> 00:00:31,947 Speaker 3: Gallon will finally meet in the boxing ring at Kudos 9 00:00:31,947 --> 00:00:36,347 Speaker 3: Bank Arena in Sydney on Wednesday, July sixteenth from seven 10 00:00:36,467 --> 00:00:40,267 Speaker 3: thirty New Zealand Time, powered by Minukah Fuel. The fight 11 00:00:40,347 --> 00:00:43,067 Speaker 3: will be live an Excuse exclusive rather in New Zealand 12 00:00:43,347 --> 00:00:47,187 Speaker 3: on pay per view from Sky Arena and Sky Sport Now. 13 00:00:47,907 --> 00:00:51,787 Speaker 3: Two time Rugby World Cup winner, two time NRL Premiership winner, 14 00:00:51,827 --> 00:00:55,587 Speaker 3: Super Rugby Champion, twenty sixteen Olympian and boxer Sonny Bill 15 00:00:55,627 --> 00:00:58,627 Speaker 3: Williams is with us in the studio. Thanks for stopping 16 00:00:58,667 --> 00:01:02,067 Speaker 3: in Sunny. This seems to have taken an age to arrive. 17 00:01:02,147 --> 00:01:03,747 Speaker 3: Why has this taken so long? 18 00:01:03,787 --> 00:01:04,227 Speaker 2: This fight? 19 00:01:05,667 --> 00:01:10,667 Speaker 4: Yeah, I don't know. Man's I think over the years 20 00:01:10,667 --> 00:01:12,147 Speaker 4: he's taken a lot of punch shots at me and 21 00:01:12,187 --> 00:01:14,187 Speaker 4: saying I'm this, I'm mad. I don't want to fight him, 22 00:01:14,227 --> 00:01:16,587 Speaker 4: but to be honest and to be quite frank man, 23 00:01:16,627 --> 00:01:18,387 Speaker 4: when I was playing for the All Blacks for those years, 24 00:01:18,427 --> 00:01:20,747 Speaker 4: I don't really think about getting back into the boxing ring. 25 00:01:20,827 --> 00:01:25,067 Speaker 4: So probably just timing. I guess, you know, life's about time, 26 00:01:25,107 --> 00:01:27,587 Speaker 4: and so we're here right now and I'm bloody excited 27 00:01:27,627 --> 00:01:28,507 Speaker 4: to get in the ring with him. 28 00:01:28,587 --> 00:01:30,067 Speaker 2: How do you feel about Paul Gallon? 29 00:01:33,147 --> 00:01:37,107 Speaker 4: I don't know. It's hard because over the years, obviously 30 00:01:37,147 --> 00:01:39,547 Speaker 4: he's thought about me a lot, call him out, calling 31 00:01:39,627 --> 00:01:41,987 Speaker 4: me out every chance he has, But I've never really 32 00:01:42,027 --> 00:01:45,667 Speaker 4: thought about him, honey, until now at the press conference 33 00:01:45,667 --> 00:01:48,107 Speaker 4: where I finally got to speak some truth about him. 34 00:01:48,267 --> 00:01:51,627 Speaker 4: Where where when my old mate then decided not to 35 00:01:51,667 --> 00:01:57,027 Speaker 4: turn up. I think that's when all the emotions kind 36 00:01:57,027 --> 00:02:00,587 Speaker 4: of come out because over the years, No, not really, 37 00:02:00,627 --> 00:02:03,307 Speaker 4: he's not I don't really have a poster in my 38 00:02:03,427 --> 00:02:05,387 Speaker 4: house of Paul or anything like that. 39 00:02:05,427 --> 00:02:08,387 Speaker 2: Bro, he didn't come to the pre fight press conference. 40 00:02:08,667 --> 00:02:09,507 Speaker 2: What did you make of that? 41 00:02:10,147 --> 00:02:12,707 Speaker 4: I just think that's what type of individual he is 42 00:02:12,747 --> 00:02:14,427 Speaker 4: and how he looks at me and my people that 43 00:02:14,707 --> 00:02:18,067 Speaker 4: you know, obviously he thinks he's better than us. I've 44 00:02:18,107 --> 00:02:20,347 Speaker 4: been in dressing rooms with these type of characters before, 45 00:02:20,387 --> 00:02:24,067 Speaker 4: where they love to suck up all the oxygen and 46 00:02:24,107 --> 00:02:27,547 Speaker 4: then if you speak, you know, you're not really heard. 47 00:02:28,107 --> 00:02:31,867 Speaker 4: So I think for me it was a reflection of 48 00:02:31,947 --> 00:02:39,227 Speaker 4: him thinking that myself Polynesians are dummies in his eyes, 49 00:02:39,347 --> 00:02:43,187 Speaker 4: you know. And and we held the press conference together. 50 00:02:43,787 --> 00:02:46,227 Speaker 4: It was actually better with probably with Adam there, but 51 00:02:46,467 --> 00:02:48,947 Speaker 4: at the same time, it was quite disappointing because I 52 00:02:48,987 --> 00:02:50,507 Speaker 4: had a few questions I wanted to ask him. 53 00:02:51,067 --> 00:02:52,507 Speaker 3: Well, I guess you could ask them in the ring 54 00:02:52,547 --> 00:02:54,267 Speaker 3: when you get in there in a month or so. 55 00:02:54,387 --> 00:02:55,987 Speaker 3: You haven't been in the ring for a while, three 56 00:02:56,067 --> 00:02:59,147 Speaker 3: years since your last fight. Yeah, is he the only 57 00:02:59,187 --> 00:03:00,347 Speaker 3: opponent you would have come back for? 58 00:03:01,107 --> 00:03:03,507 Speaker 4: It had to be big. Look, I was retired, man. 59 00:03:03,547 --> 00:03:05,427 Speaker 4: We tried to make this fight happen three years ago 60 00:03:05,467 --> 00:03:08,787 Speaker 4: after I lost to Mark. I'm a realist, you know, 61 00:03:09,347 --> 00:03:12,027 Speaker 4: I'm I'm not I didn't make my name in the 62 00:03:12,027 --> 00:03:14,987 Speaker 4: boxing ring. I'm not a boxer, but you know, I'm 63 00:03:15,107 --> 00:03:19,427 Speaker 4: athletic enough to be able to get in there and 64 00:03:21,107 --> 00:03:25,787 Speaker 4: you know, win some fights. So I think the reason 65 00:03:25,787 --> 00:03:28,027 Speaker 4: why this scrudge match is so big is because of 66 00:03:29,627 --> 00:03:32,267 Speaker 4: you know, the animosity that's been brewing for the last 67 00:03:32,267 --> 00:03:34,667 Speaker 4: ten years. And like I said, every opportunity he has, 68 00:03:35,187 --> 00:03:38,867 Speaker 4: he's taking digs at me. So after the Mark can't fight, 69 00:03:38,947 --> 00:03:40,427 Speaker 4: like I said, we try to make the fight happen. 70 00:03:40,507 --> 00:03:43,027 Speaker 4: They got right down to the final while final hurdle. 71 00:03:44,587 --> 00:03:47,987 Speaker 4: I'm pretty much almost gonna announce it, and he's come 72 00:03:48,027 --> 00:03:49,627 Speaker 4: back and said he wanted a bigger piece of the 73 00:03:49,627 --> 00:03:52,387 Speaker 4: buy instead of fifty to fifty. So that was the 74 00:03:52,467 --> 00:03:54,147 Speaker 4: question I wanted to ask at the press conference. What 75 00:03:54,187 --> 00:03:55,907 Speaker 4: have you been doing the last three years? You know? 76 00:03:55,987 --> 00:03:58,107 Speaker 4: What are all these rumors? What are these people calling 77 00:03:58,147 --> 00:04:00,987 Speaker 4: me about saying that you're on performance hunting drugs? You know? 78 00:04:02,067 --> 00:04:04,267 Speaker 4: And that's the worry that I had because the last 79 00:04:04,307 --> 00:04:07,027 Speaker 4: three years I've been training for life. When you train 80 00:04:07,107 --> 00:04:09,227 Speaker 4: for when you're training to get in the ring, it's 81 00:04:09,227 --> 00:04:11,747 Speaker 4: a different field, of different buzz, of different mentality. So 82 00:04:12,507 --> 00:04:18,307 Speaker 4: going from going from changing nappies to you know, potentially 83 00:04:18,307 --> 00:04:20,507 Speaker 4: getting in the ring and punching someone in the face 84 00:04:20,547 --> 00:04:23,067 Speaker 4: has been quite easy because of the animosity that there 85 00:04:23,147 --> 00:04:24,147 Speaker 4: is between me and poor. 86 00:04:24,387 --> 00:04:26,027 Speaker 3: I was going to ask about that because having been 87 00:04:26,027 --> 00:04:27,627 Speaker 3: out of the ring for so long, how long does 88 00:04:27,667 --> 00:04:29,827 Speaker 3: it take to get fight fit again. 89 00:04:31,147 --> 00:04:33,787 Speaker 4: I'm not too sure. You know, people think, okay, because 90 00:04:33,787 --> 00:04:36,787 Speaker 4: I've had a few fights. I'm a full time boxer. 91 00:04:36,827 --> 00:04:42,627 Speaker 4: I've had ten fights over in fifteen years. So for 92 00:04:42,787 --> 00:04:44,987 Speaker 4: me it always come easy because it was at the 93 00:04:45,067 --> 00:04:47,587 Speaker 4: end of a season, for example, and I was naturally 94 00:04:47,627 --> 00:04:51,867 Speaker 4: like I was almost there fitness wise. Now three years 95 00:04:53,667 --> 00:04:57,227 Speaker 4: out of doing professional sport, it's been really tough. The 96 00:04:57,347 --> 00:05:00,347 Speaker 4: mind and the heart is there, but the body has 97 00:05:00,347 --> 00:05:04,507 Speaker 4: been struggling quite a bit. So I think that's the 98 00:05:04,547 --> 00:05:07,347 Speaker 4: difference when you get a little bit older, my bro. So, yeah, 99 00:05:07,387 --> 00:05:09,427 Speaker 4: this this camp has been really really tough. 100 00:05:09,947 --> 00:05:12,027 Speaker 2: Eight two minute rounds. Does that suit you? 101 00:05:13,547 --> 00:05:15,987 Speaker 4: Yeah? I think it's it's more of an equalizer. You know, 102 00:05:16,027 --> 00:05:18,027 Speaker 4: there's been enough. There's been a lot said about the 103 00:05:18,027 --> 00:05:21,907 Speaker 4: two minutes, especially from my from my old mate, but 104 00:05:22,227 --> 00:05:24,307 Speaker 4: to be honest, I don't know anyone anything, you know, 105 00:05:24,347 --> 00:05:26,627 Speaker 4: when they came to me. I had these rumors. I 106 00:05:26,627 --> 00:05:28,547 Speaker 4: had these phone calls saying, you know, he's been in 107 00:05:28,587 --> 00:05:31,187 Speaker 4: the ring, he's on these things that you should get 108 00:05:31,227 --> 00:05:34,867 Speaker 4: on which I'll never touch, and you're going to get 109 00:05:34,867 --> 00:05:36,907 Speaker 4: a phone call. Two weeks later, our copper phone call 110 00:05:36,947 --> 00:05:38,827 Speaker 4: about it. Well, if you want me to get off 111 00:05:38,907 --> 00:05:42,227 Speaker 4: my couch, you want me to change my mindset for 112 00:05:42,267 --> 00:05:44,347 Speaker 4: training to life to training to fight, well, these are 113 00:05:44,387 --> 00:05:48,227 Speaker 4: the these are the boundaries that I need that to 114 00:05:48,307 --> 00:05:50,787 Speaker 4: be in place. And obviously the two minutes are there. 115 00:05:50,787 --> 00:05:53,947 Speaker 4: But the drug testing story hasn't happened, happened, so I'm 116 00:05:53,987 --> 00:05:55,547 Speaker 4: not too sure what's happening there. He's come out, he 117 00:05:55,587 --> 00:05:59,267 Speaker 4: said he'll take drug he'll be drug tested, but nothing's happened. 118 00:05:59,307 --> 00:06:02,107 Speaker 4: No Asada has called me, No one's wrong me about 119 00:06:02,387 --> 00:06:05,707 Speaker 4: your whereabouts, And that's what usually happens in a professional sitting. 120 00:06:06,627 --> 00:06:10,147 Speaker 4: So yeah, it's it's one of those things where I 121 00:06:10,187 --> 00:06:13,347 Speaker 4: think that the people involved understand that there may be 122 00:06:13,347 --> 00:06:15,067 Speaker 4: a chance that something might come up and then the 123 00:06:15,067 --> 00:06:16,827 Speaker 4: fight will be caught off. So for me, it's it's 124 00:06:16,827 --> 00:06:18,427 Speaker 4: a bit of an equalizer, you know what I mean. 125 00:06:18,547 --> 00:06:20,387 Speaker 3: So do you need that to happen before you'll fight 126 00:06:20,427 --> 00:06:22,427 Speaker 3: them or are you just going to expect. 127 00:06:23,827 --> 00:06:25,587 Speaker 4: I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think 128 00:06:25,587 --> 00:06:28,427 Speaker 4: it's going to happen, to be honest, And that's hence 129 00:06:28,427 --> 00:06:30,987 Speaker 4: the reason why I was adamant and having these two 130 00:06:31,027 --> 00:06:33,827 Speaker 4: things in place, so one of them is being ticked off. 131 00:06:33,867 --> 00:06:36,867 Speaker 4: So we're going to get in the ring and find out. 132 00:06:37,427 --> 00:06:39,307 Speaker 2: Is this your last fight? Is just the last hurrah? 133 00:06:39,387 --> 00:06:42,947 Speaker 4: Yeah? I think so ber, I think man, I think 134 00:06:42,987 --> 00:06:43,387 Speaker 4: so bro. 135 00:06:44,907 --> 00:06:46,187 Speaker 2: How's the finot five kids? 136 00:06:46,187 --> 00:06:46,347 Speaker 4: Man? 137 00:06:46,347 --> 00:06:47,027 Speaker 2: How are you going? 138 00:06:47,387 --> 00:06:50,547 Speaker 4: Yeah? Everyone's good man, that's five kids, It's five blessings. 139 00:06:51,027 --> 00:06:53,267 Speaker 4: It's the hardest job in the world, but it's the 140 00:06:53,307 --> 00:06:55,987 Speaker 4: most rewarding job in the world, you know. So I've 141 00:06:56,027 --> 00:06:59,587 Speaker 4: gone up to Gold Coast. I'm training in Joy's camp 142 00:06:59,627 --> 00:07:04,787 Speaker 4: along with his father, and it's been tough. But for me, 143 00:07:06,027 --> 00:07:09,427 Speaker 4: I needed to step away from you know, I'm naturally 144 00:07:09,427 --> 00:07:11,507 Speaker 4: a soft, teddy bearverer, so I needed to get into 145 00:07:11,547 --> 00:07:15,587 Speaker 4: that mental state where it's kill be killed. Because my 146 00:07:15,747 --> 00:07:18,227 Speaker 4: last fight, I looked at Mark like just one of 147 00:07:18,227 --> 00:07:19,907 Speaker 4: the allsorts, one of the brothers. Ayea, we're gonna get in. 148 00:07:19,947 --> 00:07:22,107 Speaker 4: We're gonna have a bit of a fight, you know. Nah, 149 00:07:22,187 --> 00:07:25,067 Speaker 4: that's not gonna happen like that. So that's why I've 150 00:07:25,107 --> 00:07:31,187 Speaker 4: taken myself out of my family environment and I'm up there, training, 151 00:07:31,307 --> 00:07:34,307 Speaker 4: training hard daily, just ready to give this guy a 152 00:07:34,307 --> 00:07:34,867 Speaker 4: good hiding. 153 00:07:35,587 --> 00:07:36,867 Speaker 2: And it's just the warriors year. 154 00:07:37,627 --> 00:07:40,547 Speaker 4: I hope, so man, I hope. So I think let's 155 00:07:40,667 --> 00:07:44,827 Speaker 4: let's see a warrior's bulldogs fin good one. Wuldn't it well? 156 00:07:44,867 --> 00:07:48,067 Speaker 3: Before that can happen, we look forward to Wednesday July sixteen. 157 00:07:48,187 --> 00:07:50,387 Speaker 3: You and Paul Gallon in the ring in Sydney. Sonny, 158 00:07:50,387 --> 00:07:52,107 Speaker 3: thanks for stopping in. All the best for the month 159 00:07:52,107 --> 00:07:54,467 Speaker 3: ahead and for the fight on July sixteen. 160 00:07:54,907 --> 00:07:56,707 Speaker 4: That's goal. Thanks man, take care now. 161 00:07:56,587 --> 00:07:58,467 Speaker 2: You take care as well. That's Sunny Bill Williams joining 162 00:07:58,507 --> 00:08:00,067 Speaker 2: us in studio. So there you go. Kudos. 163 00:08:00,107 --> 00:08:03,347 Speaker 3: Bank Arena, Sydney, Wednesday July sixteen, from seven thirty. It's 164 00:08:03,427 --> 00:08:06,347 Speaker 3: New Zealand time. Minuka Fuel are powering the fight. It's available. 165 00:08:06,387 --> 00:08:08,187 Speaker 3: I have an exclusive here in New Zealand on pay 166 00:08:08,187 --> 00:08:10,867 Speaker 3: per view from Sky Arena and Skysport Now. 167 00:08:11,467 --> 00:08:14,667 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 168 00:08:14,747 --> 00:08:18,027 Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow 169 00:08:18,067 --> 00:08:19,707 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio