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‘Not a good look’: Australia reacts to ‘squirmy’ Barry Hall boxing demolition

Commentators are all saying the same thing about Barry Hall after the ex-AFL star was brutally knocked out in a boxing horror show.

Barry Hall has been urged to retire from boxing. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Barry Hall has been urged to retire from boxing. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Barry Hall has been urged to call time on his boxing career following his brutal first round knockout at the hands of Curtis Scott in Wollongong on Wednesday night.

The 47-year-old Hall was always going to be an outsider against the 26-year-old Scott but it was much more one-sided than expected as Hall hit the canvas three times in less than 90 seconds, although the first two were ruled not to be knockdowns.

The fight was quickly waved off after just 87 seconds as Hall fell to the ground a third time, with Aussie boxing legend Barry Michael saying: “He’s hardly thrown a shot Barry.”

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It makes Scott 3-0 as a professional fighter but it was far from a pretty victory.

Michael said: “Barry just didn’t look right the minute he got him, he fell apart.”

Main Event commentator Ben Damon called Scott a “force to be reckoned with” but it was hard to watch as Hall hardly put up a fight.

While it was no doubt impressive from Scott, it likely showed Hall shouldn’t have been in the ring.

Fox Sports host Megan Barnard said Hall was “most likely knocked back into retirement”, adding he was “clearly out of his depth”.

We might have been Barry Hall fight for the last time. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
We might have been Barry Hall fight for the last time. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

“In boxing, father time is undefeated,” The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel said. “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.”

Hall, who won the 2005 AFL premiership with the Sydney Swans, is set to welcome his fourth child with former Hi-Five star Lauren Brant.

AFL great Jonathan Brown said it was hard for him to see Hall go down like that.

“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.”

Australia reacts to ‘sad’ Barry Hall scene

On Thursday morning, breakfast TV and radio hosts grimaced at the highlights of Hall crashing to the canvas, and the resounding consensus was that it’s time for him to hang up the gloves.

Garry Lyon said on SEN Breakfast: “Barry Hall should give up boxing.”

Co-host Tim Watson replied: “Yes he should. He got smashed. Come on Barry.”

Lyon added: “He fought Curtis Scott last night, there was a big build up to it. He got knocked out twice. It was a bit sad, actually. At 47 years of age, it was a bit sad to see Bazza go down like that.

“Hopefully he’s got good people around him those that love him suggest that’s the end of the boxing career. He’s done OK out of it.”

Curtis Scott demolished the ex-AFL star. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous
Curtis Scott demolished the ex-AFL star. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous
Hall was sent to the canvas easily. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous
Hall was sent to the canvas easily. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

NRL great Mark Geyer said on Triple M: “I watched the fights last night and I’ve got to say the sport of boxing with the rugby league and AFL players has had a bit of a shocker.

“The whole fight was over in a minute and a half, and just not a good look. I felt bad for Barry Hall. He’s got his fourth kid due any time now. It was a bad thing to look at.

“It was squirmy to watch and I didn’t like it."

Mick Molloy said: “Boxing, get your act together.”

Today’s Alex Cullen said: “I tell you who would have enjoyed seeing that, is former West Coast Eagle Brent Staker. Who could forget Barry just clocking Brent way back in 2008 basically just knocking him out

Karl Stefanovic added: “Might be it for him I reckon. I mean I’m not going to tell him in person. Let’s pick another fight.”

Lauren Brant and Barry Hall are expecting their fourth child.
Lauren Brant and Barry Hall are expecting their fourth child.

Fans didn’t love what they saw either. “Very sad about Barry Hall tonight,” one wrote on social media.

A second fan called it “p**sweak”. Another commented: “Surely Barry Hall has better things to do at 47?”

If Hall does retire from boxing, his professional record will show in his three fights — he lost to Scott and Sonny Bill Williams and drew against Paul Gallen

“I expected a six round war to be honest,” Scott said post-fight.

“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.”

Asked who was next, Scott said: “You line ‘em up, I’ll knock ‘em down”, promising to fight anyone put in front of him.

But when pressed for a name, he said, Sonny Bill Williams “makes sense”.

Afterwards, Scott admitted he “expected more from (Hall)”.

It’s time to hang them up, Barry. Picture: No Limit Boxing
It’s time to hang them up, Barry. Picture: No Limit Boxing
Curtis Scott wants to fight Sonny Bill Williams. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous
Curtis Scott wants to fight Sonny Bill Williams. Pictures: No Limit Boxing/Gregg Porteous

Hall had promised more as he cut an impressive figure ahead of the fight.

Although he weighed in 12kg heavier than Scott, it was clear the 47-year-old was putting in the hard yards with his ripped physique.

Elsewhere on the fight card, Sam Goodman defeated against Chainoi Worawut to keep his undefeated record intact but revealed he might have sustained a hand injury.

Two-time world title challenger Liam Wilson produced a signature “left hook from hell” to knockout Youseff Dib in his first fight as a lightweight.

— with Andrew McMurtry

Originally published as ‘Not a good look’: Australia reacts to ‘squirmy’ Barry Hall boxing demolition

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/boxing-mma/not-a-good-look-australia-reacts-to-squirmy-barry-hall-boxing-demolition/news-story/e5f61be972a34d8d6d96b16a76ce7f88