Boxing: Tua aims to 'throw bricks' but rival fighter no slouch

By PETER JESSUP

David Tua's instructions for today's fight in Las Vegas are to go straight to opponent Robert Daniels and take him out.

"He's going to be out throwing bricks right from the start," said manager Kevin Barry, who wants Daniels knocked out in double-quick time.

"We saw Lennox Lewis prove last weekend [against Frans Botha] that he is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Now it's up to David Tua to prove he is the undisputed No 1 contender."

Daniels is no stumblebum. He was WBA cruiserweight champ before stepping up a division in 1992, and has never lost by knockout. His 39-4-1 record includes 32 knockouts. The only loss was an eighth-round stoppage after his face was cut.

A poll of United States boxing writers after the Botha fight ranked Tua as No 1 heavyweight contender, confirming the mandatory challenger position he holds with the IBF and WBC. Now the big South Aucklander wants to set that in cement with a devastating show of power that will set Lewis' knees trembling ahead of their November 22 contest for the two belts.

"He has to fight like he's No 1," Barry said.

"He's very focused. There's a lot riding on this."

Tua has sparred 65 rounds in the last few weeks of his camp at Prince Ranch just out of Las Vegas, breaking the ribs of one partner. He has dropped 10lb since his last fight, the round-one demolition of Obed Sullivan, weighing in at 243lb at the fighters' meeting at the Regent Las Vegas yesterday.

The fight has sold out, with plenty of celebrities buying ringside seats as Tua's stocks continue to rise.

The American media are beginning to look at him as a US citizen; the man who will bring the title back to its "righteous" home.

Tua is happy to play along with that on the promotional ride.

There's plenty of Kiwi support on the undercard. Auckland-based Samoan Maselino Masoe, aged 34 (15-1) goes against Mexican David Mendez, 32 (20-17-1) in a middleweight contest, and former Commonwealth Games rep Faii Falemoe, 27, meets Utah fighter Willie Chapman, 32, who is 7-5-1.

Falemoe has been training in Denver, Colorado, under America Presents-linked trainer Larry Goosen, sparring with Auckland world champ kickboxer Ray Sefo and his brother Ronnie. Falemoe credits their different styles with sharpening his speed.

The Regent card is also an important step for Falemoe, boxing and medical authorities having finally given him a licence after he returned a false positive for hepatitis in New York in late 1998.

Barry said Falemoe would fight once a month after this in a bid to rapidly establish credibility and move through the rankings.

TV3 begins coverage from 9 pm.