David Tua lost to Lennox Lewis 10 years ago now Tua wants one more shot
When it comes to hard-hitting heavyweight action, David Tua is the real deal. Now training in Las Vegas, the former Olympic bronze medallist from New Zealand has a place on the Ring Magazine list of the top 100 hardest punchers of all time. He's earned this place by earning 43 knockouts while running up a record of 51-3-1, which includes 16 fights that ended in the first round. In a heavyweight division devoid of superstars and excitement, Tua should be in high demand and someone who is in position to get major fights in the near future.
However, Tua currently finds himself attempting to mount a late-career comeback in the face of much criticism. Many critics believe Tua no longer has what it takes and view his attempt at a comeback with a hefty dose of scepticism. They lump him in with "washed up" former champions and contenders like Hasim Rahman, Evander Holyfield and Francois Boetha who are attempting to get back into contention for one more title shot – or at least one more big pay day – even as their skills are diminishing.
That's the situation that Tua faces as he prepares to take on Monte Barrett on July 17 at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City. While Barrett is hardly a top-tier heavyweight, he's a definite step up from the two fighters that Tua has beaten since beginning his comeback from a one-year lay-off at the end of last year. A win over Barrett – who has fought against champions like Wladimir Klitschko, David Haye and Nikolay Valuev in the past – would certainly carry more cache than wins over relative nobodies like Friday Ahunanya and Shane Cameron.
But will a win against Barrett matter? At the end of the day, there's the question about if Tua still has what it takes to be a force within the division. It's been 10 years since Tua had a world title shot (losing a 12-round unanimous decision to Lennox Lewis in 2000) and more than eight years since he last beat an opponent of any note (stopping Fres Oquendo in the ninth round in 2002).
If Tua couldn't get himself in position to win a world title when he was in the "prime" of his late 20s, then what chance does he stand in his late 30s?
The answer is that he has a puncher's chance, and with the heavyweight division in its current state of flux that might be enough. While Wladimir and Vitaly Klitschko might still be too strong and talented for Tua, the lack of serious contenders might give him a chance to contend against someone like David Haye. The WBA champion is smaller and might be a target that could go down with one big punch delivered by "The Tuamanator." (Although to be fair, the Klitschkos could also be vulnerable to one big shot as well.)
Much of Tua's future success or failure in the ring will come down to his level of commitment and his conditioning. When Tua has struggled in the past, it's usually been because he's come into fights listless and out of shape. That's a problem that is only going to get more difficult to control as Tua ages – almost every fighter puts on weight when their body changes as they age. Recent photos of Tua as he trains for the fight against Barrett suggest that he is losing the battle of the bulge as evidenced by the layer of flab apparently hanging around his belly.
In a weak heavyweight division, David Tua still has the skills and the bone-rattling power to be a factor class. However, it will require Tua making a commitment to the sport and his conditioning. Based on his past history, the odds of him finding this commitment at an advanced age seems unlikely.
Tags: