Sonny Bill Williams falls to decision defeat to Paul Gallen
Photo:
Darrian Traynor
Sonny Bill Williams has fallen to a split decision defeat to Paul Gallen in their highly-anticipated grudge match in Sydney overnight.
The Kiwi will bemoan a seventh-round point deduction for persistent grabbing, with the referee warning the Kiwi he was at risk of being disqualified.
Williams started the stronger of the two but Gallen routinely found the body to sway the judges and claim bragging rights.
The two seemingly put their rivalry to bed after the bout with an intense handshake, with Gallen accepting his foe's request for a post-fight coffee.
In the night's other fights, Kiwi David Nyika got back to his winning ways with a fifth-round TKO win over compatriot Nikolas Charalampous.
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