Barry Hall has been dubbed a “killer” – and ready to knock Curtis Scott unconscious – after stacking on more than 6kg of muscle and completely overhauling the “gaunt” frame he carried during his last walk into a boxing ring.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Hall has revealed he will enter next Wednesday’s hyped heavyweight showdown at around 104kg – or the same as he weighed during his storied career with St Kilda, Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs.
The change means the AFL great could have an advantage of up to 10kg on Scott, with the exiled NRL star, who eventually wants to campaign at cruiserweight, having weighed around 94kg for his two previous fights.
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The admission also represents a huge overhaul for the 47-year-old, who is hoping to KO Scott and catapult into a crossover boxing rematch against either Paul Gallen or Sonny Bill Williams – both of whom he has fought previously.
Back in 2022, Hall weighed less than 98kg for his fight against SBW, who was himself 109kg and looked every bit of that as he won via devastating first round KO.
Two years on, the former Swans forward admits he went into that fight “gaunt” and, as a result, has made significant changes for this fight camp.
Hall’s head coach Fidel Tukel has also backed his charge to look far more like the fighter who earned a contentious split decision draw against Gallen – a bout Hall still believes he won.
Tukel has also been credited with helping overhaul the frame of his fighter for this latest showdown, which takes place on the undercard of Australia’s undefeated Sam Goodman at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.
Asked how things differed this camp from his preparations for Williams, Hall said: “Going into that fight with Sonny, my alignment was off.
“And I don’t want to blame anyone else.
“I’m the one who was in the ring so it’s me who controls everything.
“But my mind, body, the way I trained, my promotion … things didn’t align and you need them to.
“During that fight camp, I wasn’t doing strength and conditioning.
“That’s why I came in under 98kg, which was too light.
“I was gaunt.
“I remember going into the fight and thinking ‘s*** this isn’t ideal’.
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“I almost worried myself out of the fight, thinking ‘am I even in this?’.
“And it affected me.
“But it’s a lesson learned and I’ve changed some things up since then.
“I’m naturally a skinny guy but I have put on some weight and it’s staying on now which is good.”
Hall added he had not been approached by Team Scott about any sort of catchweight, while also stressing that, in terms of how his year would play out, he was looking no further ahead than this next fight.
“Because I’m at an age where s*** can drop off quick,” he conceded.
“Can almost happen overnight.
“So we aren’t looking past this fight.
“If we get past Scott – which is a big challenge – then we look at what’s next.”
Hall’s head coach also warned his charge is nothing like the fighter who was surprisingly knocked out by Williams when they fought two years ago.
Tukel said fight fans also should not be fooled by the man who will spend the next week smiling for cameras and promoting the card.
“Because you’re all seeing Barry, the nice guy,” the coach laughed.
“And he really is that — a good guy, a family guy.
“But there’s also a killer in him.
“So as for his last performance against Sonny Bill Williams, don’t think that guy is turning up next Wednesday.
“Instead, the guy who was that killer on the field when he played AFL, I’m just starting to see this now.
“And on the night I think killer Barry comes out.”
Tukel added that he also wasn’t worried by the 20 years separating the two men, continuing: “Look, I know how I was at 26.
“Baz remembers himself at 26, too.
“Nothing could stop us.
“But the reality is that (at that age) sometimes people get their thought process mixed up.
“Get their abilities mixed up.
“So he can come out 100 miles out, we’re prepared for it.”
Source Agencies
