All Black scores first-round KO
All Black Sonny Bill Williams won the vacant New Zealand heavyweight title with a first-round knockout on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old never looked under pressure as he rocked Clarence Tillman with a thundering left hook mid-way through the opening round.
He followed it up with a flurry of blows before the referee ended the bout just before the bell.
The easy win over the Auckland-based American takes Williams's professional record to five wins, three by knockout, and no losses.
Tillman, 34, was supposed to represent a step up in class for Williams, whose most recent contest last June was a points win over an overweight 43-year-old.
However, Tillman, a journeyman with an unspectacular record of 11 wins, eight losses and two draws, failed to land a single blow on the dual rugby union and league international during their bout in Hamilton.
Williams was supposed to fight Richard Tutaki but had to call in Tillman as a late replacement when Tutaki was arrested on drug-related charges.
Tillman, 20 kg heavier than Williams, faced questions about his fitness going into the fight.
The talented All Black three-quarter, who has a special clause in his New Zealand Rugby Union contract allowing him to pursue his boxing career, will play for the Waikato Chiefs in this year's Super Rugby competition, beginning later this month.
MANNY HITS THE GOLF COURSE
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao swapped his boxing gloves for golf clubs on Wednesday in a charity event that raised funds for storm victims in the Philippines.
The 33-year-old, rated the world's top boxer, pound-for-pound, played alongside Filipino golfing ace Frankie Minoza in the Philippine Open pro-am, a prelude to the Asian Tour's $300 000 (R2.26 million) tournament.
After hitting the greens, the sports icon signed boxing gloves at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Manila. The gloves were then sold to fans, raising about $2 500 (R19 000), organisers said.
"I'm happy as there are a lot of good people who are helping the victims," Pacquiao said. "This will be a big help."
The funds raised would go to victims of tropical storm Washi, which destroyed whole villages in the southern island of Mindanao in December and left 300 000 people displaced and in need of urgent help.
Pacquiao is considered a national treasure in his native Philippines, where he is also a politician and a television and movie celebrity.