Australian Boxing = Bush League

Tonight Sonny Bill Williams fought Francois Botha for the WBA Intercontinental title over 12 rounds.

Not many Yanks would know Sonny Bill, but hes a rugby league/union player whos been having some pro fights during the off season.

Hes an amazing athlete and a physical specimen, but an average boxer.

It was his 6th professional fight and they got Botha out her, who actually looked in pretty decent shape.

Williams controlled the first 8 rounds with the jab and kept Botha at a distance. In round 9, Botha started to connect with a few nice rights, and he shook Williams who was exhausted by now.

The tenth round starts and the referee says its the 10th and final round. These guys changed the the fight from 12 to 10 rounds DURING the fight!

Botha proceeds to kick Williams ass and nearly stops him a number of times.

I've seen a lot of shady stuff happen in boxing over here, but this takes the cake.

 

yep and betting on a points victory that will probably be cancelled now - one can't be to happy about this.

They even announced this as a 12 rounder right before the fight, didn't they?

 

I heard Botha's corner knew that it was changed to 10 rounds and made no fuss.

 

:: wow.

 

That makes it some how okay?

 

Of course not. My original source was mistaken. Botha's trainer was told at the end of round 9. That is fucked! Botha was furious afterwards I read, saying that just because he's a big Rugby name they were trying to protect him. It sounded like SBW was almost out on his feet at the end of the 10th.

 

this seems like an instance in which the victim (Botha and his people) would actually have a case in court somehow. no?

 

i hope they make a huge thing out of this

that is so crazy

it's a bait and switch for anyone who paid to watch the fight....and imagine all the people who bet on the fight, wtf happens there

 

Well, hasn't it been revealed lately about the aussies and doping throughout the years...now this...

 

this seems like a case when the corruption was so blatant and executed in such bush league fashion as to be totally indefensible.

 

Is it within the rules of boxing that you are allowed to change a pre scheduled 12 round bout to 10 rounds?

 

i can't imagine it is in the middle of the fight. but in boxing? who the hell knows.

 

between boxing shenanigans and the Toecutter, Australia is really going to hell

 

Thats what sportingbet did as well. Paid head to head, but refunded all other bets.

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0u_UP_7puY0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Sonny Bill Williams should give up boxing

 

botha came in "pretty decent shape"? :atu: judging by the still shot of the video that doesnt seem accurate.

 

In shock news, a nation built from deported criminals turns out to be full of cheats, scum and devious shithouses. A remarkable turn of events.

MTF

 

Decent for Botha just means smaller than Butterbean.

 

this could be the first time in his career botha fought a guy with a more feeble name than francois.

 

thanks for the video, andrew

 

Comparatively speaking. 21 pounds lighter than his last fight.

 

:bears:

 

Wide Buffalo is annoying anyway so I don't care that he got screwed.