Mark Hunt, a legendary figure in combat sports, concluded his career in emphatic style by ending Sonny Bill Williams‘ undefeated streak with a stunning TKO upset.
The former UFC fighter, 48, is still a huge fan favorite and ended his career with one of the biggest-ever victories, beating the odds in an all-New Zealand heavyweight clash.
Sonny Bill Williams is a former rugby league and rugby union player who played for the New Zealand Kiwis from 2004 to 2013 and the All Blacks from 2010 to 2019. He began competing as a professional boxer in 2009, citing the fight as good off-season training for his rugby career.
Williams had a 9-0 record with four KO victories prior to this fight. It stands to reason, after which the 37-year-old was the pre-fight favorite.
Hunt knocked out the former All Blacks in the fourth round and survived the ten count, but the referee waved it off as the Super Samoan piled on the pressure to provide a fairytale ending to his career.
Mark Hunt defeats Sonny Bill Williams in 'unbelievable' boxing upset!#MarkStan #SonnyBillWilliams pic.twitter.com/0eDZUsBzeM
— Saajid Nazmi (@Saajidn) November 5, 2022
As soon as the bell rang to end the bout, Hunt approached a kneeling Williams to pay his respects.
Hunt expressed his feelings following the fight, “I’m smiling not because of the win, but I’m smiling because this is the last time I walked into a ring of combat of any sort. My first thought after was ‘s*** I want to do that again!’, but no [I won’t be back in the ring again].”
A disheartened Sonny Bill Williams was questioned, saying during an interview, “I would like to say it was an honor to share the ring with Mark Hunt tonight, the Super Samoan”
Hunt’s career ends with a 1-2-1 record in boxing, a 13-14-1 record in MMA with 1 no-contest, and a 30-13 record in kickboxing.
