Boxing: Tua switches attack over title bout

By PETER JESSUP

Lawyers for David Tua yesterday asked the United States District Court in New Jersey to issue a temporary injunction to prevent the IBF sanctioning any title defence by new champion Hasim Rahman.

Tua's action claims that in including a rematch clause in his contract to fight Lennox Lewis, Rahman broke IBF rules that ban rematches and clauses about rematches in pre-fight contracts.

Rule 3B states: "No contract for the championship contest shall contain any clause or any provision whatsoever guaranteeing or in any other way assuring or promising either contestant a return championship contest."

And Rule3Eii: "Upon violation of [3B] the championship involved shall be declared vacant."

Tua's lawyers told the court he believed Rahman's managers were about to announce a fight for the championship, and he wanted the IBF prevented from sanctioning that. It overtakes previous action that asked the court to force the IBF to abide by its rules.

At stake are millions of dollars and, possibly, his next chance at the title. At age 29, he needs the top bouts now.

After earning the IBF's No 1 challenger position when he beat Danell Nicholson early this year, Tua was supposedly guaranteed a title shot within 12 months.

If Rahman fought again and lost, Tua would have to start from scratch - at the very least starting the 12-month period again.

"The longer this [court actions over contracts] goes on, the longer David has to wait to sign his next fight," manager Kevin Barry said yesterday.

Barry and promoter America Presents want Tua ready for his title shot should the court rule in his favour. with urgency.nte

The court has three other suits before it. WBC No 1 Mike Tyson is attempting to stop any Rahman-Lewis rematch; Lewis wants to enforce the rematch; and the manager who took Rahman to the two world titles, Cedric Kushner, is seeking to throw out a contract the fighter has signed with Don King.

King will manoeuvre title bouts between his fighters so he cannot lose. He has promised Rahman multi-millions for fights in China with lowly-ranked boxers, claiming to have put up $US5 million of his own. Where the rest will come from is a mystery.

Meanwhile, Tua is negotiating a new television deal. He has invested in Los Angeles sports supplements company HST and is using its products.

He has a new apartment in central Auckland and has bought land in Northland.

The legal wrangles were not messing with his head, Barry said.

They were happy to fight IBF No 2 American Chris Byrd, a southpaw who is 8cm taller than Tua. Byrd is known to be slow to attack, a defensive counter-puncher, and not in the top 10 for the other organisations.

But that bout would not carry the promise of a good contest and would not pay much.

Tyson looks increasingly likely as a Tua opponent. The former champ has one fight to go on a deal with America Presents, and although that opponent is Nigerian David Izon, there is the possibility of an extension.

One thing is sure - Tyson will not go back to King's camp after being promised millions more than was delivered last time.

Tua and Barry will return to Las Vegas early next month to a new home with training gym, swimming pool and tennis court.

Their last camp was 20km out of town.

The new home, in the city suburbs, is a step-up in class.

It was built for the vice-president of casino owners Caesar's World.