Boxing: Fans to pay for Tua's next fight

By PETER JESSUP

David Tua will fight American Chris Byrd next month, with the winner getting a court-ordered shot at the IBF world title by April.

But local fans will have to pay to see the bout. Tua's management yesterday did a deal for exclusive cover on Sky Television, and the company intends charging about $25 for the August 18 pay-per-view fight.

Tua's manager, Kevin Barry, said he accepted that some people would be disappointed by the decision. But the fighter's previous bouts had been free-to-air while others were charging, and he had to start thinking of his own future.

The decision was taken out of Tua's hands by his promotions company, America Presents.

Tua and Byrd will appear at a media conference in Las Vegas tomorrow to announce the fight, which will be held at the Cox Pavilion, a basketball and concert venue attached to the Thomas and Mack hotel and convention centre.

The 1.87m (6ft 2in) Byrd, a southpaw, will be the shortest fighter that 1.77m (5ft 10in) Tua has met for some time.

Byrd was a silver medallist in the middleweight division at the Barcelona Olympics and has held a title for the World Boxing Organisation. He has 33 wins from 35 bouts.

Tua is into the sixth week of a fight build-up that started before he knew who his opponent would be and when they would meet.

He has been working on building his right side to complement his fearsome left hook. He has a personal nutritionist responding to his body measurements daily. Tua is in the low 240lb region weight-wise and will aim for 235lb by fight-day.

Among the methods Tua has been using to strip fat are twice-weekly ice baths. Manager Barry has been doing it, too, for support.

They fill a bath with large blocks of ice and some water two hours before use, and throw in bags of party ice 20 minutes before. Then they get in up to neck level for as long as they can stand it.

The ice induces shivering, which increases the burning of body fat by making the body convert fat to heat to protect itself.

The routine is supervised by Tua's strength and conditioning coach Tom Wilson.

Trainer Joe Goosen has been working Tua with two sparring partners - Cuban defector Elicier Castillo (20 wins from 22 bouts, the losses to Byrd and Tim Witherspoon), and Boris Powell from St Louis (25 victories from 27 fights, one of the defeats by a points decision to WBO champ John Ruiz).

Sky has in the past refused to reveal the pay-per-view numbers for boxing, such as the Anthony Mundine-Mike Makata fight.

Sources say that fans have not bought in, not wanting to encourage Sky to extend the pay-per-view programming. Sky says it has been "satisfied" with the numbers.

Tua is different. There will be no boycott, but perhaps a lot of lounge-room grandstands being built.