Thor Bjornsson scaled a huge 320lb ahead of his fight with Eddie Hall - despite his rival claiming that he looked "ill and skinny".
The Icelandic strongman has dropped in the region of 132lb in his quest to switch from lifting shape to boxing shape. But Hall was unimpressed, insisting that he will be able to retain his fitness and power over the six round contest despite his bulky frame.
Hall told Muscle and Health that he wants to stay big so that he can overpower his rival. "My goal has been to come into this fight as big, heavy, strong, and fit as possible," he said. "I’ve never, ever once heard a boxer say, ‘I wish I was weaker for that fight’, or ‘I wish I was lighter for that fight’.
"I’ve never gassed-out and I’ve never been knocked out. So, at the end of the day, I’m pushing big, heavyweight boxers on to the back foot because of my size, because of my presence. Coming in heavy is a good strategy for me - Thor, for whatever reason, looks like a skinny dog on heat."
And Hall believes that it's a bad game plan, telling Bjornsson that he believes there are fears over his cardio. "For me, it’s just stupid," he continued. "It’s supposed to be the heaviest boxing match in history, and he just looks ill.
"It’s not just me saying that, I see comments all over the place from people asking if he’s sick. That’s not me saying that, but the general public. I think he has genuinely got a problem with cardio. I don’t think he can sustain the full six rounds. I believe that’s why he’s lost so much weight. because his fitness levels are terrible.”
In response to Hall's concerns, Bjornsson decided to film himself stepping on the scales ahead of the pair's meeting. In a video recorded yesterday, he tipped the scales at 148kg, or around 326lb, and joked that he was "too muscular, too heavy".
Who wins on Saturday night; Thor Bjornsson or Eddie Hall? Let us know in the comments section below!
And fans were impressed with his progress, with one saying in the comments section that "Thor looks great!" He continued: "Man this dude's ability to condition himself to whatever activity he's doing is quite impressive. Good luck in the fight, you and Eddie are both great."
Another commenter wrote that both men are looking in great shape, adding: "Regardless of the outcome of the fight, can we just take a second to appreciate the incredible transformation they have both gone through? Thor looks freaking great!"
The pair have shared a heated rivalry over the years since a controversial finish to the 2017 World's Strongest Man competition, which Hall won. They have gone back-and-forth over the years since the tournament, and agreed in 2020 to meet in the boxing ring to finally settle their differences.
