Sonny Bill Williams suffers shock first boxing defeat by MMA fighter Mark Hunt

Sonny Bill Williams suffered the first professional defeat of his boxing career with a shock loss to mixed martial arts star Mark Hunt in Sydney.

Former rugby union and rugby league star Williams, 37, was stopped in the fourth round by fellow Kiwi Hunt, 48.

Hunt, who last boxed in 2020, won by TKO after delivering some devastating blows to Williams with the referee stepping in to stop the fight.

Williams' record is now nine defeats and one loss from his 10 fights.

He retired from both rugby codes in 2021 to restart his boxing career.

Williams won World Cups with the All Blacks in 2011 and 2015, helped the Kiwis reach the 2013 final of the rugby league equivalent and has won the New Zealand heavyweight boxing title.

Hunt, who competed in the UFC until 2018, is also a kickboxer and had lost two and drawn one of his previous professional boxing fights.

After easing his way into the fight, Williams pinned Hunt against the ropes in the opening round before the pair exchanged blows as the bell rang.

By round three, Williams was in the ascendancy, landing heavy uppercuts and seemingly waiting for his moment to strike the decisive blow.

But then everything changed as Hunt came out swinging in round four, knocking Williams' mouthguard out before the referee intervened with a stoppage.

Speaking after the fight, Hunt said: "I'm smiling, not because of the win, but I'm smiling because this is the last time I walked into a ring of combat of any sort."

Williams said: "Not too much positive to take from that but to share the ring with a legend like Mark, it was special."