New Zealand boxer David Tua is demanding a title fight against WBA heavyweight title holder Roy Jones.
Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko yesterday confirmed a fight against Lennox Lewis for the World Boxing Council heavyweight tile on June 21, giving up his right as the top challenger with the WBA.
Tua now wants to
exercise his right as the highest ranked available fighter in the World Boxing Association and fight Jones, manager Kevin Barry said.
The WBA mandatory was last fought on July 27 last year, when John Ruiz beat Kirk Johnson and Jones, who beat Ruiz in March, has to defend his title by July 27 this year.
Tua knocked out Ruiz in 19 seconds of the first round when the pair met previously.
" We are requesting to the WBA that they open negotiations immediately for Jones to make his mandatory defence against the highest ranked contender, David Tua," Barry said.
Since August 2002 Tua has improved his WBA rating from 9 to 2.
Tua is currently ranked in the top 5 by all sanctioning bodies -- two with the WBA, three by the IBF, five by the WBC and one by the WBO.
Jones, meanwhile, is talking of fighting Evander Holyfield, who is coming off a loss to Chris Byrd, an operation on his shoulder and has had just two wins in his last seven fights.
Tua's last bout was the controversial draw with American Hasim Rahman in an International Boxing Federation elimination bout in Philadelphia in late March.
The result against Rahman, whom he had beaten in their first meeting, left Tua with a record of 42 wins, 37 by knockout, three losses and one draw.
- NZPA
