Tua's Maori TV deal sours

David Tua in action against Friday 'The 13th' Ahunanya. Photo / Dean Purcell

David Tua's next fight will be overseas because the relationship between Maori TV and a local boxing promoter has broken down beyond repair.

Tua's worldwide promoter, Cedric Kushner, told the Weekend Herald that the contract with Maori TV - which holds the rights to broadcast his next two fights - would be honoured.

But Kushner confirmed Tua's next bout would definitely be overseas and possibly the fight after that.

"The whole idea is for David to keep active. That's the most important thing."

No details had been confirmed and Kushner declined to comment further on the souring relationship between Tua's local promoter David Higgins and Maori Television.

Mr Higgins, of Duco Events, last week called Maori TV "parasites" after the channel touted record viewing numbers for the Tua-Friday Ahunanya bout.

He told the Herald on Sunday that Maori TV "did very little to promote the fight and, really, what they did could be allied to parasites".

He added: "At the end of the day, Duco Events can't do another show like that. It is just not economically viable."

Mr Higgins refused to comment further yesterday.

On Tuesday, Maori TV chief executive Jim Mather sent out an email to staff outlining how relations had soured with Duco Events. It was "extremely unlikely" Maori TV would ever do business with the events company again, he wrote.

"I believe the latest comments are part of a negative media campaign that Duco Events has been waging against Maori Television in a bid to release David Tua from his contract with us."

Maori TV marketing spokeswoman Sonia Haggie said the channel would have "no issue" with the fight being held overseas and would support any decision made by Mr Kushner about Tua's future.

The broadcaster backed Tua when he was mired in debt during a court battle with his former management team.

He was signed to a three-fight deal in 2007 and had one fight remaining when he agreed to take on Shane Cameron in the much-touted Fight of the Century.

That fight could not be televised free-to-air as pay-per-view was required to fund the $500,000 purse each fighter took home.

Instead of having a quick fight against a lesser opponent to fulfil his contractual obligations with Maori TV, Tua extended the existing agreement by a further two fights - starting after the Cameron showdown.

While Maori TV backed David Tua when no-one else would, some boxing insiders believe the free-to-air broadcasting deal is holding him back in his quest for a world title fight.

Without viewer revenue to boost the fight purse, it is difficult to attract heavyweight contenders.