Sonny Bill Williams Eyeing Boxing Return If He Retires From The NRL

It looks like Sonny Bill Williams' rugby league career is all but over.

With his Toronto Wolfpack side booted out of the Super League and his one-year deal with the Sydney Roosters expiring, the 35-year-old is expected to hang up the boots for good.

And while he'll probably never see the remainder of that $10million from his lucrative Wolfpack contract, SBW will undoubtedly make up that money with ease through his next sporting endeavour.

NRL legend turned prize fighter Paul Gallen insists the cross-code megastar will make a killing by stepping back into the ring - and he'll be raking in way more than what he was on the footy field.

After clinching two NRL Premierships and starring in an All Blacks dynasty that won back-to-back World Cups, Williams held the WBA International Heavyweight title.

He's certainly no scruff when it comes to boxing, and Gallen believes that's where he'll turn when he finally retires from all forms of footy.

"Put yourself in Sonny's shoes: $500,000 a season, he could probably go and have three or four fights against bums and earn between $500,000-$750,000 a fight," Gallen told Wide World of Sports radio.

"He'd probably get a couple of mill for fighting me, if he ever wants to do it.

"But I think he may turn to boxing, I really do. I don't see the money for him [in the NRL] from Sonny's point of view."

Sydney Roosters

But while a career with 12-ounce gloves on probably suites the ageing SBW more, there will undoubtedly be a number of NRL clubs that will try to snatch up his highly sought-after services when he finally parts ways with the Roosters.

"From a [NRL] club's point of view, I agree," Gallen continued.

"If you could pick him up for $400,000, $500,000, $600,000, the amount of money he could bring to the club, the amount of people he's going to bring through the gate, the amount of people who are going to watch on TV because of Sonny Bill, it's enormous.

"But from Sonny's point of view, is it worth it?

"I don't know if he'll play against next year, purely because of the money."

Gallen himself is set to fight UFC great Mark Hunt in a stacked card in Sydney on December 16.

As for SBW, he's tipped to fight Gallen's most recent opponent Barry Hall - another Australian sports icon who crossed over into boxing.

Topics: Rugby, Paul Gallen, Sonny Bill Williams, Boxing, Rugby League, nrl, Australia, Sydney Roosters

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry