Boxing: Round III, this time for a title

By PETER JESSUP

David Tua is set to fight Hasim Rahman for a third time, this one for the World Boxing Association heavyweight title.

The organisation is about to strip its champion, Roy Jones jnr, of the belt because he has shown no sign of wanting to meet the WBA requirement to defend the title he won from John Ruiz within the required 180 days, which expire on Monday.

After lobbying from Tua's management, the organisation has already called for Tua and Rahman to fight again to decide a new champion.

Jones has stated that he intends to drop to light-heavyweight to meet WBC and IBF champion Antonio Tarver in November.

The WBA will take Jones' belt back on Tuesday - or before that if he signs to fight Tarver, as is expected to happen any day.

Executive director Gilberto Jesus Mendoza yesterday sent the 10 biggest boxing promoters notice that a purse bid for the fight will be called in Miami next Friday.

The minimum winnings total will be US$1 million ($1.76 million), and whatever figure is reached will be split 50-50 between the fighters.

Rahman's promoter, Don King, and Tua's promotions partner, Cedric Kushner, will be in the auction for the rights, so the figure is sure to go above the minimum.

But the big paydays would come after that for the new titleholder.

Tua is in Auckland, but will soon return to his Las Vegas base.

The bout is likely to be in December in Las Vegas or Atlantic City.

Atlantic City would attract home-town support for Rahman from nearby Baltimore, but Tua is popular there, too, with a 14-fight, 14-win record.

Tua won the first fight against Rahman, but the American claimed he was hit after the bell at the end of the ninth round and blamed that for his 10th round knockout.

In Philadelphia in March this year, they fought to a draw.

The WBA has kept its No 1 spot open since, ranking Tua No 2 and Rahman No 3.

Tua's status was raised yesterday when, in a last-ditch effort to get Jones to front, the WBA's championships committee agreed that he was its No 1 challenger.

Rahman has said he won't fight Tua again, but he now has no option if he wants to get back to the big money.

He got US$1.5 million as challenger when he beat Lennox Lewis in Johannesburg to win the WBC and IBF titles, and US$10 million when he lost the rematch.

A rematch appeals to Tua and his management. When Tua came out of the ring last time, he knew he had blown it by not following the fight plan.

"I feel confident David will do what he has to do this time," manager/trainer Kevin Barry said.

"After the experience of the Lewis fight [an unsuccessful title challenge in November 2000], the frustrations that we shared, we'll both be a lot smarter this time."

Barry said Tua would happily fight Jones, and would make a lot more money for doing so, in what would be the classic clash of styles - Jones' hand speed and footwork against the power and durability of Tua. But he believed Jones was too smart to risk it.

The next fight looked like defining Tua's career, Barry said. "He has to win, at all costs." If he doesn't, it could take him three or four years to fight his way back from the consequent drop in ranking. But a win would offer the chance to make big money going for more titles and defending the WBA title.

He could retire Tyson, Holyfield and possibly Lewis and, with no one of more commanding ability in sight, he could stay at the top for some time.

"It can't be one punch at a time," Barry said. "He has to put them together and knock out Rahman this time."

David Tua

Born: 11/12/1971 Faleatiu, Samoa.

Height: 178cm. Reach 175cm.

Fight weight: 109kg.

Record: 42-3-1, 37 KOs.

Recent: 3/03 drew with Rahman, 11/02 beat Russell Chasteen KO R2, 8/02 beat Michael Moorer KO R1, 4/02 beat Fres Oquendo TKO R9.

Hasim Rahman

Born: 7/11/1972 Baltimore, USA.

Height: 188cm. Reach 208cm.

Fight weight: 106kg.

Record: 35-4-1, 29 KOs.

Recent: 3/03 drew with Tua, 6/03 lost to Evander Holyfield, 11/02 lost to Lennox Lewis, 4/02 beat Lewis.

Others

WBC champion Lennox Lewis: possible re-match with Vitali Klitschko, or retirement.

IBF champion Chris Byrd: September 20 v Fres Oquendo.

WBO champion Corrie Sanders: TBA v No 2 contender Lamon Brewster. (Tua is No 1).

Mike Tyson: Problems gaining a boxing licence, signed to fight K1 in Japan.

Wladimir Klitschko: Aug 30 v Argentine Fabio Moli.

John Ruiz: Busy fighting his ex-wife.

Evander Holyfield: October 4 v IBF cruiserweight champion James Toney.