Boxing: And the winner is ... Don King

By ALAN PERROTT

Boxing promoter Don King looks likely to be be the only winner in the sporting divorce between heavyweight contender David "Terminator" Tua and his manager, trainer and friend, Kevin Barry.

Ardent Tua supporter and boxing commentator "Colonel" Bob Sheridan said the flamboyant King had always wanted to add Tua to his stable of boxers.

"And King would do whatever he can to get him," he added from his Las Vegas home yesterday.

Tua announced the dumping of Barry and his financial manager ,Martin Pugh, on Wednesday night.

The announcement came one day after it was agreed that Tua would fight American Hasim Rahman in Atlantic City on December 13 in a potential title match-up.

"This is a critical moment in Tua's career," said Sheridan.

"If he blows this opportunity, for whatever reason, he may not get another shot."

But King would not make any overt moves to sign the fighter until it was clear that his contract with Barry was over to avoid any expensive legal action, he said.

Sheridan understands the South Auckland boxer is now being managed by two people, one of them his partner, the mother of his son Konan.

Barry is flying to New Zealand in a last-ditch attempt to repair damage so he and Tua can at least see out the last two years of their management contract.

Mr Sheridan said he had spoken to Barry on Monday, and the manager had no idea what was behind Tua's decision.

"He asked David what the problem was and David replie,d 'You know what the problem is' - but he has no idea.

"In all my years in this business, it almost always comes down to money, but I don't know why that would be because David is almost into the million-dollar area."

The National Business Review annual rich list ranked Tua as the country's fifth richest sporting figure, worth about $13 million.

Tua could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Australian super-flyweight boxer Robbie Peden is another fighter who has ended his relationship with Barry and Pugh.

Speaking from his base in St Louis, Missouri, Peden said they did not agree on some important issues.

Las Vegas boxing trainer John Black also had bitter memories of his association with Tua's management team.

The 69-year-old was left unpaid after spending about six weeks preparing Tua for a fight against Fres Oquendo last April.

He said he was offended by the treatment he received. "I couldn't believe (Martin Pugh).

"He just pissed me off as soon as he started talking to me. He said, 'You might know all about boxing, but I'm running the show so watch my bags'."

He said Pugh "walked around a lot in bare feet - and I tell you, people who wear rings on their toes just turn me off".

The veteran trainer, who has 50 years boxing experience, said that before he left the Tua camp, Barry told him he had not been contracted. "He said he was only evaluating whether he could stand me or not."

Black said he had only one private conversation with the boxer and then found Barry listening outside the door.

"Kevin is kind of guy who will give you credit for nothing.

"He's very protective of his relationship and David is a very nice, trusting, Christian guy, but he is vulnerable."

A statement issued by Barry said he had put Tua's interests ahead of his own family for 12 years and would cherish the time they had shared.

"I have always tried to protect David's interests and reputation, but if David is lifting the lid on Pandora's box, there will be little I can do to protect him further."

He said his management contract was still active, and he intended to continue managing Tua's career until it expired.

Don King

Born: August 20, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio.

* The world's most famous boxing promoter gained fame by organising the "Rumble in the Jungle" between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974.

* In 1954, King shot dead a man who was trying to rob one of his gambling establishments, but the death was ruled a justifiable homicide.

* He was jailed in 1966 for beating to death a man who owed him money. The charge was reduced from second-degree murder to non-negligent homicide.

* King has been investigated for organised crime connections, and in 1992 he took the fifth amendment - which bars self-incrimination - during a Senate investigation into Mafia leader John Gotti.