Boxing: Williams defends shortened title bout

SYDNEY: Sonny Bill Williams has defended his controversial unanimous points heavyweight victory over veteran Frans Botha in a title bout that ended after 10 rounds in Brisbane on Friday night.

The fight, which was advertised and scheduled for 12 rounds as per WBA rules, was stopped early, drawing an angry reaction from Botha and boos from the crowd at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Bookmakers refunded bets on Williams’s controversial win and 44-year-old Botha has challenged the rugby star to a rematch.

“First morning after the fight it’s sinking in what a great night it was,” tweeted Williams. “We both knew it was a 10 rounder before the fight!”

Australian National Boxing Federation committee member John Hogg said a last-minute decision to shelve the final two rounds was ‘unusual’ but that it had been ticked off by officials after both camps agreed shortly before the fight and there had been no time to verify with the WBA.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2013.