NRL-bound Sonny Bill Williams is confident that he will be fit to fight South African Francois Botha in a heavyweight boxing match next month after suffering a shoulder injury.
On a short playing stint with Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan's rugby union Top League, All Blacks centre Williams was taken to hospital after injuring his right shoulder in a match against Kintetsu Liners in Ota, near Tokyo, today.
"Hurt today .. results back nothing serious, small tear so hopefully still be able to (fight Botha)," Williams wrote on Twitter hours later.
His first tweet after sustaining the injury said: "Going in for MRI hopefully just a small tear?!!"
It was accompanied by a picture showing his right arm in a sling and his left hand clenched as if he was ready to fight.