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Boxing

26th Jul 2021

Hafthor Bjornsson on the prospect of facing Logan Paul and fighting in the UFC

Hafthor Bjornsson's fight with Eddie Hall has been postponed, but the Icelander has his sights set on the biggest name in exhibition boxing

Alex Roberts

The Mountain has lost over 50 kilograms since last summer

Hafthor Bjornsson’s fight with Eddie Hall has been postponed after the Englishman suffered a torn bicep in training.

The news was announced by MTK Global Boxing late Sunday Night, on Twitter.

 

Why were Hafthor Bjornsson and Eddie Hall set to fight?

The bad blood between the two strongman behemoths goes back to 2017, when Bjornsson accused Hall of cheating as he became the first Brit to lift the World’s Strongest Man title for more than 20 years.

Rivalries intensified last year when Bjornsson broke Hall’s 500kg world deadlift record – by a single kilo.

The Icelander promptly challenged Hall to a boxing match in the wake of the lift.

The two will now have to wait a few months until the fight is rescheduled.

Hafthor Bjornsson’s training programme

The fight has, of course, been postponed, but it’s fair to say Bjornsson has been putting in the work regardless.

“Right now I’m doing morning sessions six times a week where I usually go out for a run or on the bike.

“Then around 2:30pm, or 3 o’clock, I do my boxing sessions. In the evening I always do hot and cold therapy and roughly three times a week I’m swimming as well.”

Bjornsson isn’t engaging in any weight training, either – surprising when you consider that he holds the world deadlift record.

“I don’t lift any weights now. I’m just doing this to become a better boxer.”

Credit: Reign Total Body Fuel

Hafthor Bjornsson on facing influencers and the prospect of the UFC

Bjornsson wants to continue boxing beyond the rescheduled fight with Eddie Hall.

“A lot of trolls are saying I won’t last a round or two rounds. That’s absolutely crazy. What people forget is that even though we are big guys, we are world class athletes.

“I’m already sparring six rounds in training.”

He is a fan of the UFC, and while age may hold him back he believes he possesses the necessary grappling skills.

“I’ll be 33 in November, I’m not getting any younger,” he said.

“I did go on the floor with Gunnar Nelson [Icelandic UFC welterweight] for 20 minutes, a brilliant grappler, and I thought I could take him with my strength.”

After his fight with Eddie is done and dusted, Bjornsson said the prospect of going up against Logan Paul is perhaps more realistic.

“Logan is a tall guy, much lighter than me but then he fought Floyd Mayweather who is a lot smaller than him.

“Maybe I can fight Logan,” Bjornsson said with a wry smile.

The Icelander would also be interested in a fight with Floyd Mayweather, but doesn’t think the American would entertain the idea.

“It would be like a giant versus a normal guy,” quipped Bjornsson.

Hafthor Bjornsson’s diet plan

Since last summer, Bjornsson has lost over 50 kilograms in weight. Not all of that is owed to a gruelling six-day-per-week training routine.

Diet is arguably more important.

Thor revealed exactly what he has been eating, on a daily basis, to lose so much weight.

  • Breakfast: 40 grams of oats, 50 grams of blueberries, two whole eggs, 220 grams of chicken breast
  • Meal 2: 220 grams of beef tenderloin, 140 grams of rice, 100 grams of zucchini
  • Meal 3: 220 grams of chicken breast, 200 grams of potatoes, 100 grams of spinach or zucchini
  • Meal 4: 220 grams of salmon, 100 grams of rice, 100 grams of spinach
  • Meal 5: Greek yoghurt with almond butter

Bjornsson also drinks Reign Total Body Fuel before each training session to stay energised.

Hafthor Bjornsson diet plan - inside his fridgeBjornsson gave JOE an exclusive look inside his fridge at the food he puts away each day.

“This might sound a lot for the average Joe,” says Bjornsson, “but it’s not”.

The calories from this diet plan amount to between 3,000 and 4,000. This is a departure from the 10,000 plus calories the Icelander was putting away during his strongman heyday.

Bjornsson believes people often overcomplicate diets when trying to lose weight, adding “you just have to stay consistent”.

Hafthor Bjornsson is a Reign ambassador