The Sonny Bill Williams boxing sideshow rolls on, making all true fans of the sweet science wince. Jack Salter identifies five of his favourite fighters who put SBW to shame.
61 fights, 56 wins, five losses
After returning from the 1960 Rome Olympics with a gold medal in the light heavyweight division, the greatest boxer - and talker - of all time began a professional career that would span 21 years.
The first man to win the heavyweight title three times was involved in some of the greatest fights ever seen.
The highlights of Ali's career were three classic fights against Joe Frazier, two of which he won, and beating George Foreman in the infamous Rumble in the Jungle, where he adopted the "rope-a-dope" strategy of absorbing body shots to wear Foreman out.
Ali hung up his gloves in 1981 after losses to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick, when he was a shadow of the colossus he once had been.
The revered icon of the sport, who turned 70 this week, will always be remembered for his sublime boxing skills and his rhythmic trash talking.
GEORGE FOREMAN
81 fights, 76 wins, five losses
Big George turned professional in 1969, after winning a gold medal at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and continued to fight for another 28 years.
He was renowned for intimidating his opponents with a snarling stare, and backed that up with hands like concrete.
The two-time heavyweight champion's career highlights were the upset victory over Joe Frazier in 1973, when he won the heavyweight title for the first time, and the incredible comeback win against Mike Moorer in 1994, when he knocked him to the canvas to become the oldest heavyweight champion at the age of 45.
He permanently hung up the gloves in 1997, after a controversial loss to Shannon Briggs, when many boxing experts believed he had easily won.
ROBERTO DURAN
119 fights, 103 wins, 16 losses
The man from Panama known as "the hands of stone" began his professional boxing career as a 16-year-old in 1967.
During his career, which spanned 34 years, he held four world titles in four different weight divisions, and is only the second fighter in history to have fought in five decades (the other is Thomas "Hitman" Hearns).
The highlight of Duran's illustrious career was winning the WBA lightweight title in 1972 and ruling the division for another seven years, when he defended his title 12 times.
He will also be remembered for his fierce rivalry with Sugar Ray Leonard, whom he fought three times for one win in 1980 when he claimed the WBC welterweight title.
The one blight on Duran's career was in the rematch with Leonard later that year, when he refused to come out of his corner in the eighth round, saying to his corner-man "no mas" (no more).
He retired in 2001, after a car crash nearly ended his life.
SUGAR RAY LEONARD
40 fights, 36 wins, three losses, one draw
Leonard began his professional career in 1977, after winning gold as a light welterweight in the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
In his 20-year career he held world titles in five different weight divisions and was a master at evading his opponent's blows with a bob-and-weave technique mixed with fast footwork.
The highlights of Leonard's career were his two victories against Roberto Duran. He avenged his earlier loss in 1980 by giving Duran a boxing lesson in their second bout, and beat him again when they fought for the WBC super middleweight title in 1989.
Earlier that year Leonard beat the previous undefeated Thomas Hearns to retain his title.
Leonard retired in 1997, and such was his ability he got out of the sport with all his faculties intact.
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ
115 fights, 107 wins, six losses, two draws
Possibly the greatest fighter to come out of Mexico, Chavez began his professional career in 1980, aged 17.
In a 25-year career he was a six-time world champion in three different weight divisions.
Astonishingly, he went on an unbeaten run of 90 fights until 1994, when he lost his first fight and his WBC light welterweight title to Frankie Randell. It was also the first time in his career that he had been knocked to the canvas.
Later that year he regained his title when he beat Randell on a technical decision when the fight was stopped in the eighth round, because of an accidental head-butt.
Chavez had a couple of "retirements" before quitting the sport in 2005. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last year.
His son, Julio junior, is the WBC middleweight champion.
