'The Mountain' in 357kg fight with former world record holder
Two of the world’s biggest and strongest men have vowed to settle a long-running beef in the boxing ring.
Icelandic strongman Hafthor Bjornsson and Englishman Eddie Hall’s weightlifting rivalry has carried on for years, becoming increasingly bitter after Bjornsson accused Hall of cheating at the 2017 World’s Strongest Man event.
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Bjornsson shot to prominence after starring in HBO series Game of Thrones, where he played hulking bodyguard ‘The Mountain’, but he hasn’t rested on his laurels after the conclusion of the popular series.
He’s continued to hone his lifting prowess, setting a new deadlift world record on Saturday when he became the first man to lift more than 500 kilograms.
Hall had continued the pair’s war of words in the lead-up to Bjornsson’s record deadlift, claiming the record wouldn’t be legitimate because it was performed at the Iceland native’s home.
In response, Bjornsson broke the record before immediately challenging his rival to meet him in the ring.
“Core Sports just offered me a seven figure contract, which is the biggest contract of my life. I’ve signed it already.
“Eddie Hall has been running his mouth for two weeks now and I now that he got the same deal.
“So Eddie, I just knocked out your record, and now I’m ready to knock you out in the ring.”
Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall up for The Mountain’s challenge
Despite giving up 15 centimetres and nearly 30 kilograms to Bjornsson, Hall vowed to ‘rip his f***ing head off’ in the ring.
While Hall congratulated Bjornsson on his record lift, he made it clear the duo’s long-running feud was motivating him to meet The Mountain in the ring.
“And you know why I’m going to sign those papers… it’s not the money, it’s not the dead lift feud we’ve got going on, nothing to do with that.
“It’s because you called me a cheat at World’s Strongest Man 2017.
“I can’t put that to bed, I can’t forget it. People may forget it, but you’ve never apologised.
“You think you should’ve won that year, regardless of the trophies or not, and you let people know that.”
Whether or not the fight actually goes ahead due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen - but neither man looks to be shying away from what shapes to be the heaviest of heavyweight fights.
