Barry Hall urged to retire from boxing as detail about wife emerges after Curtis Scott loss
The former AFL player was embarrassed by his much younger opponent on Wednesday night.
Barry Hall is being urged to hang up the boxing gloves and focus on the birth of his fourth child with partner Lauren Brant, after suffering a devastating first-round loss to Curtis Scott on Wednesday night. The 47-year-old ex-AFL star was completely blown away by Scott - a 26-year-old former NRL player.
The Sydney Swans great was floored three times in the first 90 seconds of the bout before the referee was forced to call it off. Commentator Barry Michael said: “He’s hardly thrown a shot, Barry.”
Ben Damon commented "he doesn’t look right", adding an early barrage from Scott “may have done some damage”. Michael added: “Barry just didn’t look right the minute he got him, he fell apart.”
Aussie UFC great Alexander Volkanovski said: “I swear it was the exact first shot that Sonny Bill Williams threw" - referencing Hall's infamous fight with Williams. Host Megan Barnard said Hall was "clearly out of his depth", suggesting he was “most likely knocked back into retirement."
Peter Badel of the Courier Mail said: “In boxing, father time is undefeated. I think we learned that tonight in Barry Hall. At 47, he learned the hard way that the younger man, the fitter man, the more vibrant man is going to do some damage.
“And Curtis Scott, what about him? Maybe we have a credible fighter. Yes, he’s a footy fighter, but he’s showing a bit more skill than perhaps we thought he had.”
Hall's fellow AFL great Jonathan Brown said the 47-year-old would now focus on helping wife Lauren as they prepare to welcome their fourth child. “I wouldn’t have thought we’d see Baz in the ring again after that, that’s for sure,” Brown said. “His partner’s going to be having their fourth baby in the next couple of days so he’ll want to get back to family.”
Curtis Scott calls out Sonny Bill Williams
Scott, who previously played for the Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders, is now 3-0 as a professional fighter. He was quick to call out SBW after the win over Hall.
"I'll fight anyone," he said. "Sonny Bill makes sense," he added. "I watched Barry's fight against Gal (Paul Gallen) today and I'm not going to lie, I was shitting myself. He boxed really well in that fight. And that's what I was pumping up for, that's what I was expecting. He was probably a little off against Sonny and I thought that would be a massive motivator to get a win over me.
"There was also the big size difference too. So he had me bluffed to be honest. I thought Barry would come out and put on a massive slugfest … that's what I was preparing for.
“I expected a six round war to be honest. I wasn’t thinking a first-round knock out to be honest, but I got it and I’m happy with it. I think I underestimate my power. I come out, I don’t think I hit as hard as I do but when I hit people, they go to sleep. I really hurt them when I hit them and it is what it is.”
RELATED:
Sydney Swans in bombshell move after Isaac Heeney ban upheld
Jamie Elliott on cusp of AFL return for Magpies after retirement concerns
Fans found Hall's first-round demise hard to watch. Many were left suggesting we've seen the last of him in the boxing ring.
Turns out Barry Hall can't fight at all. Cheap-shotting Brent Staker doesn't count.
— Aussie Boxing Scribe (@el_pollo_loco) July 10, 2024
If I was Brent Staker I would call out Barry Hall and get retribution for the cheap shot all those years ago.
— Larry Leprechaun (@LarryLeprechau) July 10, 2024
FFS, Barry Hall, give it up.
— mr doh (@efdoh) July 10, 2024
Barry Hall should never fight again....WTF was that?! He's too old, clearly lost it, but even so, just throw a few mate. Maybe he only likes doing it when people aren't looking!
— Brodie Marston (@brods26) July 10, 2024