Boxing: More at stake than victory for Tua

By PETER JESSUP

David Tua has a lot on the line in Atlantic City tomorrow afternoon.

If he doesn't knock out Michael Moorer, he'll knock himself out of the top ranks of the heavyweight contenders.

Moorer, 34, and with four fights since he began a comeback in 2000 after a three-year "retirement," won't be easy meat.

But Tua has the better of recent experience, and five years on his side.

When that was pointed out at the final pre-fight press conference yesterday, Moorer couldn't handle it. Tua's trainer/manager Kevin Barry went through the statistics for both fighters, emphasising Tua's 87 per cent knockout record and dissecting Moorer's efforts in the light-heavyweight division and at heavyweight. He did better in the under-175lb class, all-up KOs at similar percentage to Tua's but only 54 per cent at heavyweight.

As Barry continued on about his fighter's durability, punching power late in a bout and the fact he had never been sat down or knocked out, Moorer shouted him down.

"Are you writing a book?" he asked, prompting Barry to reply that it was nothing personal - just business.

Afterwards, Barry said he staged the routine in order to get under Moorer's skin.

Of Tua, Barry said: "He's getting angry now and that's good. He just wants to fight."

If there was one thing the 'Throwin' Samoan' proved in his losses to Lennox Lewis and Chris Byrd, it's that he can take a punch.

It is as unlikely that Moorer will knock out Tua as it is that Tua will win the 10-rounder on points. If the fight at Donald Trump's Taj Mahal casino goes that far, it is odds-on Moorer will have stood Tua off with his right jab and scored with his left.

Tua is less worried about this southpaw than he was about Byrd, confident he's learned how to cope with the style. But as usual it's all about one thing for him - pushing his 175cm (5ft 9in) inside the 20cm (8in) reach advantage Moorer's 193cm (6ft 4in) gives him.

In training he has been concentrating on speed and footwork, less muscle-building in the gym, no thought of wasting to get his weight down. He's mentally more comfortable about his size - he was expecting to come in mid-240s at the weigh-in overnight - and going in in a good head-space is critical for him.

He's knocked out two sparring partners and sent another to the ringside bucket to vomit. He's worn no head gear during 60 rounds of sparring, a risk Barry wanted him to take to improve his defence.

Tua's fight plan has to be simple: Relentless advance regardless what's thrown at him. Once he's absorbed Moorer's early efforts, the Detroit fighter will start to doubt his ability to finish it. Then it's simply a matter of waiting for him to leave an opening for the big right hook.

Records of the fighters are remarkably similar, Moorer 43-2-1 (34KOs), Tua 40-3 (35KOs). But it is recent work that counts, not mid-90s history, and on that score it should be a clean result to Tua.

Once the Aucklander has worn the challenger down he should finish it with the usual big shot.

Byrd, mandatory challenger for the IBF, signed yesterday with Don King, hoping for a shot at champion Lennox Lewis.