Boxing: Tua could return to the ring next year

New Zealand Boxer David Tua. Photo / Greg Bowker.

Sky Arena's John McRae believes there's still enough fire in David Tua for the Kiwi boxer to shed some weight and get back in the ring.

Tua was soundly defeated by giant Belarusian Alexander Ustinov 12 months ago and called time on his career, which had spanned more than 20 years in the professional ranks.

The man with a feared left hook said at the time that he had a lack of motivation to train at the top level and decided it would be best to step aside.

He now runs a boxing gym in South Auckland and trains fighters, including Kiwi cruiserweight champion Monty Filimaea who will compete in tonight's Super 8 last-man-standing tournament on the North Shore.

But a report from Fairfax today quoted Tua as saying he would be keen to drop some excess weight and have one more run in the ring, which could include a bout with the winner of the Shane Cameron v Kali Meehan match that will headline tonight's card at the North Shore Events Centre.

"It's something I've been thinking about straight after the last fight. There were a lot of things happening in my personal life so it was hard to put a definite answer on it," Tua told Fairfax.

"Yeah, it's realistic. I'm going to try and sort out a few bits and pieces for next year and then make a definite decision."

In the latter stages of his career, motivation was an issue for the 52-5-2 Tua, who once unsuccessfully challenged Lennox Lewis for the world title in 2000.

But McRae insisted they were serious about pulling the 42-year-old Tua off the couch and said he trained the house down to get in shape for his 2009 bout with Cameron where he annihilated the Mountain Warrior inside two rounds.

"We've been having ongoing discussions with David," McRae told the Herald. "He's indicated strong interest that he would like to fight ... I think he's definitely serious."

Cameron has said if he was to lose to Meehan tonight he would hang up the gloves, while the 44-year-old Meehan is enjoying the twilight of his career.

McRae said someone like former WBC title challenger Chris Arreola was a name who could be enticed Down Under to meet Tua.

"[Tua] is a massive name; he's proven to be the premier prizefighter in New Zealand and I believe people would switch on to see if he still has it."

The Herald understands Tua has been telling people close to him that he has three fights left in him but the million-dollar question remains whether he has the desire to put himself through the required training to get in top shape.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting was held this morning between the Meehan and Cameron camps, alongside the officials for tonight's bout, to determine who would walk out last.

Both fighters believed they should have been able to enter the ring second but a WBA official decided that Meehan's higher ranking, courtesy of respected website Boxrec, gave him the edge. Meehan is ranked 40th in the world to Cameron's 55th, as per Boxrec.

The winner of tonight's bout will claim the vacant WBA Pan African heavyweight title.