Sonny Bill Williams will take on Bachelorette TV series winner Stu Laundy in an exhibition fight.
It will take place in Sydney on 1 December, after the All Blacks’ end-of-year tour.
‘I think he’s just going to get off the plane and do it,’ said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. ‘It’s the sort of athlete he is.
‘We’ve got guys boxing all the time, as part of their training. Again, my understanding of the fight is that it’s more of an exhibition fight I think than a go-down-and-knock-yourself out fight.
‘You’re probably better off having a good yarn to him about it, because he’ll be able to fill you in on all the details. But I don’t have any problem with him doing it.’
The fight will be part of a charity event called ‘Banger in the Hanger’ to fundraise for youth homelessness and the Auckland City Mission.
Williams has won all seven of his professional boxing bouts, the last of which was three years ago.
Laundy admitted he could be knocked out by the All Black.
‘He may drop me, who knows. He’s six or seven fights in so he’s going to be a very good fighter, but who knows.
‘Sonny has a fair few kilos on me and a fair bit of ability as well, but other than that it’s nothing impossible.
‘I’m not scared of anything. Honestly, I’m not scared at all. Really I’m not. Sonny is a beast, but beasts can be taken down.
‘I’ve been throwing drunk guys out of pubs for 30 years. Sure some of them are drunk, but some of them are monsters.’
