Boxing: New contract has Tua earning megabucks

By Peter Jessup

Auckland heavyweight boxer David Tua will fight for pay-cheques in the multi-millions from now on after signing a contract with major promoter America Presents which will take him to a world title bout.

Neither America Presents nor Tua and his manager, Kevin Barry, were talking how many zeroes were involved, but the Herald understands the deal included a cash-up payment in the millions and a promise of performance-based fight pay that should run to $10 million this year.

The promoter expects to be able to help to broker a title shot with three-belt holder Lennox Lewis, whose handlers have already agreed to a meeting with Tua in November at the latest.

If court action fails to force Lewis into the ring, or if the British boxer walks away from the IBF belt for which Tua is No 1 contender and mandatory challenger, they will go for a match-up with Evander Holyfield. Tyson-Tua is also on the cards.

"He's the best young heavyweight in the world and we believe he will soon prove himself to be the best heavyweight in the world," said America Presents chief executive Matt Tinley.

The company was committed to signing "the best talent and good people with it and David Tua is both."

"Tua has great power. He takes a shot, he's a warrior who likes to fight and he keeps his power late - the same power in the last round that he had in round one and that is very difficult to defend against," Tinley said.

Though Tinley would not predict Tua's financial capability, he made some telling comments: "There is no ceiling on Tua. You're only as good as your next fight but if he does as well as we expect in the ring he will do fantastically well financially.

"He'll be the highest-paid athlete in the South Pacific - we're talking multi-millions. The quicker we can get Lennox Lewis in the ring the quicker and louder the cash register will ring."

Tinley said it was clear money was not Tua's big motivation - "he's about showing everyone and especially the doubters that he's the best" - and that good attitude was also a signing plus.

America Presents is a partner to legal action filed by Tua and Barry in an endeavour to force Lewis to fight.

Tua's corner has asked the United States District Court in New Jersey for an injunction to prevent Lewis meeting Michael Grant in April.

Judge John Bissell this week ordered the IBF to present a defence, including its rules and regulations and details of its rankings system.

Tua is, and has been, No 1 contender since he beat Hasim Rahman in December 1998 and Lewis has failed to meet IBF rules that he fight the mandatory challenger within six months.

The IBF must reply by February 22 and Tua's request for the injunction will be heard on March 10.

"We don't think Lennox Lewis wants to fight David. We genuinely think he fears David," Tinley said.

On top of the central city apartment block where he has been staying, handy to the gym and away from the distractions of family and friends, Tua is keeping his head down and training hard.

"I truly hope this is my year and I'm just keeping mentally in the right space and getting into the right physical shape," the 26-year-old said. "My dream is coming into focus, it's becoming reality."

He spends six to seven hours a day training, on a treadmill or bike, pushing weights, swimming, working on abdominal strength. Each night he spends an hour on hypoxic oxygen equipment to simulate recovery at altitude. All he needed now, he said, was a name and a date - a fight to focus his energy on.

After seven years' waiting while previous promoter Main Events promised much only to deliver poor opponents and paydays, Tua is enjoying some of the trappings of success, including a new Mercedes.

But he knows this is just the start. "I've made plenty of sacrifices and there are plenty more to come, but now I know the rewards are there too. It makes me feel good inside."