'Putting that GRAFT in': Eddie Hall shows SHREDDED physique as strongman prepares to box 'Game of Thrones' giant Bjornsson
English hulk Eddie Hall appears to be keeping his promise to "eat, sleep and recover the hardest" after posting a self-portrait in a boxing gym ahead of a scrap with Hafthor Julius Bjornsson that could go ahead in September 2021.
Icelandic behemoth Bjornsson and rival Hall are set to take their war of words into the boxing ring in a colossal contest that could take place in Las Vegas.
Hall saw his world deadlift record broken by the Game of Thrones star when he lifted 501kg (1,105lbs) last month, and Bjornsson immediately seized on the chance to challenge Hall to a fight, pledging to beat him to a pulp between the ropes.
Bjornsson recently revealed that accusations of cheating at strongman competitions made against him by Hall were "the last straw" for his desire to continue lifting in international competitions, but his claim that both men have been offered a seven-figure deal to fight seems to have been harder to dismiss.
Now Hall, who usually weighs around 186kg (410lbs) for his feats of strength, has posted a photo of himself looking sweaty with his back turned to two punchbags while reporting his weight as being a relatively slimline 163kg (360lbs).
Bjornsson, who is normally the bigger of the two men at a staggering 205kg (452lbs), also makes Hall look comparatively diminutive thanks to a towering 6-foot-9-inch frame that is six inches taller than his likely opponent.
Those figures suggest that Hall could be targeting an advantage in speed and nimbleness should the pair meet for a bout in which 'The Beast' had promised to "rip your f*cking head off."
"I’m gonna train, eat, sleep and recover the hardest," he said after Bjornsson accused him of "running his mouth.
"So Thor, get training – I’ll see you in the ring."
Posting a photo of himself lifting 370kg (816lbs) earlier in the week, Bjornsson confirmed he was training for the fight and expected it to take place in September 2021.
"Iceland’s Strongest Man is in eight weeks," he explained in response to a comment on Instagram, where he has more than 3.2 million followers.
"I’m strong enough to win Iceland’s Strongest Man while also preparing myself for the boxing match."
Five-time World's Strongest Man and six-time Europe's Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski, who knows all about switching from lifting to fighting having successfully moved into MMA since he last competed as a strongman, was among those to applaud Hall's "beast training", offering 46 bicep emojis in response to the picture.
"You and Eddie should spar," replied a fan to Pudzianowski, who has won 13 of his 21 MMA fights.
"Imagine being hit by Eddie Hall," added another. "F*ck that."
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