New Zealand Rugby
SBW takes belt with first round KO
ESPNscrum Staff
February 8, 2012
Sonny Bill Williams celebrates his first round knockout against Clarence Tillman III, Battle for the Belt, Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand, February 8, 2012
Sonny Bill Williams celebrates taking the heavyweight belt © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Players/Officials: Sonny Bill Williams
Teams: New Zealand

All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams made light work of Clarence Tillman III in Hamilton on Wednesday to claim the New Zealand heavyweight title.

The mercurial Chiefs back will look to make his debut for the Waikato-based outfit at the end of the month but he has already tied up one title this campaign. Tillman III weighed in at 21 kgs heavier than Williams but the referee stopped the bout with just one second left in the opening round.

Williams connected with a left hook before landing more blows which saw Tillman forced onto the side of the ring. Referee Lance Revill called time on the bout leaving Williams as the winner.

Tillman already made headlines prior to the fight after he landed a punch on Williams in the pre-match weigh-in. But he had clearly had his one lucky shot pre-fight.

But the circus surrounding Williams' boxing career did not stop at the end of Wednesday's fight. Williams' original opponent Richard Tutaki entered the ring to taunt the All Blacks centre only for him to be ushered out by the Chiefs' Liam Messam. Messam was joined in the crowd by the likes of Tana Umaga and Wayne Smith.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices