Tua Set to Hit the Big Time Against Lewis
August 17, 2000 - 0:0
WELLINGTON It has taken Samoan boxer David Tua eight years on the professional circuit but he is set to hit the big time when he meets world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, Tua's manager said on Wednesday.
"It's been eight years in the making but it has to be remembered that when i first took David to the states he was only 19 years old and he was only 190 pounds (86kg), so we've had to build him into the fighting force that he is today," Manager Kevin Barry told Reuters.
"In his last fight he weighed in at 243 pounds (110kg). He is now on top of his game, both physically and mentally," he said.
Tua has a 37 win, one loss professional record including 32 knockouts.
U.S. promoters for the British Lewis confirmed on Tuesday that Lewis would defend his two titles against Tua on November 11 in either Las Vegas or Toronto.
Tua, 27, agreed to a $3.5 million payday, with incentives that could bring him $4 million for the fight.
A Long Time Coming Barry, who said he spoke to tua in Samoa earlier on Wednesday, said he was not overwhelmed by the size of the purse.
"He doesn't get too highly excited about business.
He was more happy that finally he would get the opportunity.
"It has been his destiny all his life to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world and win it." Tua has been the number-one ranked fighter with the International Boxing Federation since December of 1998, qualifying him as the mandatory challenger.
"It's been a long time coming. There were several times when we campaigned very hard to get a shot at Lewis," Barry said.
"David could have probably fought for the title two or three years ago.
.. He has hit the big time. You can't go any higher in boxing than fighting for the heavyweight championship title of the world." Tua was as born on the tiny Samoan island of Faleatiu, which has a population of less than 399, in 1972.
According to his Website, www.tuaman.com, his father, a shopkeeper, taught him to box from the age of eight.
"My father used to call grown men off the street to box with me," Tua said on his Website.
(Reuter)
"It's been eight years in the making but it has to be remembered that when i first took David to the states he was only 19 years old and he was only 190 pounds (86kg), so we've had to build him into the fighting force that he is today," Manager Kevin Barry told Reuters.
"In his last fight he weighed in at 243 pounds (110kg). He is now on top of his game, both physically and mentally," he said.
Tua has a 37 win, one loss professional record including 32 knockouts.
U.S. promoters for the British Lewis confirmed on Tuesday that Lewis would defend his two titles against Tua on November 11 in either Las Vegas or Toronto.
Tua, 27, agreed to a $3.5 million payday, with incentives that could bring him $4 million for the fight.
A Long Time Coming Barry, who said he spoke to tua in Samoa earlier on Wednesday, said he was not overwhelmed by the size of the purse.
"He doesn't get too highly excited about business.
He was more happy that finally he would get the opportunity.
"It has been his destiny all his life to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world and win it." Tua has been the number-one ranked fighter with the International Boxing Federation since December of 1998, qualifying him as the mandatory challenger.
"It's been a long time coming. There were several times when we campaigned very hard to get a shot at Lewis," Barry said.
"David could have probably fought for the title two or three years ago.
.. He has hit the big time. You can't go any higher in boxing than fighting for the heavyweight championship title of the world." Tua was as born on the tiny Samoan island of Faleatiu, which has a population of less than 399, in 1972.
According to his Website, www.tuaman.com, his father, a shopkeeper, taught him to box from the age of eight.
"My father used to call grown men off the street to box with me," Tua said on his Website.
(Reuter)