The coach’s corner could see it coming.
When Sonny Bill Williams decided to stop dancing around the boxing ring, that opened the door for Mark Hunt to turn the tide.
The previously 9-0 Williams had controlled the first, second, and third rounds of their heavyweight clash at Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre.
Re-watch the explosive Sonny Bill Williams vs Mark Hunt heavyweight clash, ad freeand exclusive on Stan
He’d moved freely and landed plenty of punches, many that looked like they might level the ‘Super Samoan’ early on.
In the third, Williams landed a series of punches to the head – but in the fourth, the floodgates opened for Hunt.
Despite cries from his corner to move and dance, Williams stood still and Hunt swung hard at his head and landed a right hand.
HOW IT UNFOLDED: ‘Shocking defence’ costs Wallabies famous win
READ MORE: Sonny Bill stunned by 48-year-old fighting great
READ MORE: Final over thriller seals Australia’s World Cup fate
With a little under two minutes to go, Hunt knocked Williams’ mouthguard out and landed a sequence that dropped the two-time Rugby World Cup winner to the canvas.
Then the knock-out blows came, leaving Williams to stagger around the ring in a daze before falling to one knee.
“I tried to get into the Samoan slanging match and that’s what happened – got knocked out,” said Williams, who lamented going away from his game plan.
“As hard as it is to accept, as hurt as I am for my supporters, I’m almost a little bit embarrassed.
“I’ve just got to keep sticking to what I stand for and it’s always Alhamdulillah, I always thank God for what I have.
“I’m able to go home to my kids and my beautiful wife. It’s just disappointing.”
That game plan was to keep moving, use his reach, keep him at a distance, and fatigue Hunt.
In the end, Williams admitted he got sucked in and ultimately allowed Hunt to do what he does best.
“I felt like I was keeping my range, boxing smart, then I just got too excited,” said Williams.
“I felt like there were some openings there and got carried away. Then he caught me with an overhand right. It’s just the experience of the fella.
“He’s just a crafty guy. I rocked him, I punched him with some beauties. Then that’s what I got excited about and tried to go forward, then boom – rattled me.
“He’s an old fox. Tough chin. I just got too excited.”
SBW, Hunt trade first round blows
What’s next for Williams is yet to be determined.
Following Saturday’s fight, he admitted that his career as an athlete could be up.
Prior to the fight, Williams had left the door open for a long-awaited Paul Gallen match-up that seems doomed to be a what-if.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here
