Boxing: Mixed view on Tua rival

David Tua

New Zealand boxing pundits are divided on what to expect of heavyweight David Tua's next opponent, Talmadge Griffis, with Sir Bob Jones labelling him "nondescript", while referee for the bout Lance Revill says Griffis is a "worthy opponent".

Tua's manager, Cedric Kushner, last week announced Tua would fight "Two Guns" Griffis in a 10-round bout in Auckland on March 31.

Griffis, 1.90m and 97.5kg, has a 22-win, five-loss, three-draw record, while Tua has 42-3-1, with 37 of his wins coming by knockout.

It's close to two years since Tua's last fight, against Hasim Rahman, which ended after 12 rounds in a draw.

Tua has since been embroiled in an acrimonious split from managers Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh, transferring his allegiances to Kushner.

Jones, a boxing aficionado and property magnate, yesterday said he had heard a few things about American fighter Griffis.

"I gather from what I've read in reports and from the internet that he's a nondescript opponent. Like a lot of heavyweights around, after some wins against nondescript opponents he looked as if he might be something and then has turned the corner and is on the slide."

Jones said Tua would have to lose a "massive" amount of weight for the fight and was unlikely to be the better for his two-year sabbatical.

"Sometimes fighters take a break and they come back better. But how old is he?" Jones asked.

Tua is 32.

"He's getting on. He's never going to be a world champion - they're kidding themselves. But Tua's punching power has always given him some core of appeal.

"You can imagine him in with [Mike] Tyson. It's human drama and it would pull quite a lot of money."

According to internet boxing archive Boxrec.com, when Tua made his pro debut in 1992 he weighed in at 92.5kg. At his last fight against Rahman he was 111kg.

Last year Tua admitted he was close to 122kg - 30kg more than in 1992.

Jones said he would not be going to the Tua-Griffis bout, but he would watch it on television.

But Revill, a former New Zealand heavyweight champ and now president of the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association, said Griffis would provide a stern test.

"He's been up there with the likes of Clifford Etienne, Joe Mesi and guys like that. He's a very worthy opponent and somebody I think is a very hard ask for David in his comeback fight.

"He's no pushover, put it that way."

Revill expected Tua to be in fight shape come the night of the bout. "He's been a professional for some time now and he'll get down to the fighting weight. He knows what's required of him."

Revill also refereed Tua's previous two New Zealand professional fights, including the one against Cecil "Instant" Coffee.

- NZPA