KEY POINTS:
David Tua's next tiny step on a big comeback road today sees him poised at the top of a card which is an intriguing collection of boxing wannabes - hyped-up and knocked-down fighters, who could either be The Next Big Thing or The Last Next Big Thing To Be Quickly Forgotten Because It Was All Puff To Begin With.
Tua fights 36-year-old Mexican Saul 'La Cobra' Montana in Utah, with his opponent viewed as either a wily veteran or a past-it journeyman, depending on whose opinion you listen to. Certainly Montana has at least got some class in his background - his fighting experience includes names such as James Toney, Virgil Hill and Vassily Jirov.
He has 42 knockouts in his 48-14 win-loss record but a closer look reveals he is a reconstituted light-heavyweight.
However, this particular fight may be a little more beneficial for Tua, provided he does the expected and de-fangs La Cobra.
This card, now without the bout which was to share top billing, puts Tua into a live TV slot at a time when heavyweight boxing in the US is in a barren phase.
Doing well here, even if the opponent is less than stellar, may open the door to other and better fights at a time when options in the US boxing world are not exactly brimming over.
It may help Tua towards his dream of a title shot - something he holds dear but which has not been viewed with much credibility in New Zealand because of the ordinary opponents he has fought so far.
Boxing's unique ability to hype fighters so that audiences can never tell if they are real prospects or not is also evident on this card. Undefeated (25-0) Russian-Israeli-English heavyweight Roman Greenberg is fighting "Dangerous" Damon Reed.
Greenberg is touted as a rising prospect and goes by the name "The Hebrew Hammer." His greatest claim to fame is that Angelo Dundee, former trainer of Muhammad Ali, once said that he had the quickest hands in the heavyweight division.
Greenberg, born in Russia, raised in Israel and now living in north London, speaks four languages and is known as a classy combination-throwing fighter. The reality is that he too has yet to fight anyone of real class.
His opponent, Reed, cannot be counted as quality and the unkind would say that "Dangerous" Damon is about as threatening as a cotton wool bud. He was beaten by Richie Melito, the Mexican heavyweight caught up in a "fixing" scandal a few years ago when a fighter he tapped took a fall. Greenberg is hoping to get closer to a top 15 world ranking.
However, you can always rely on boxing to throw up a good story or two - and some wondrous nicknames.
Like Jeremy "Half-Man, Half-Amazing" Jeremy Williams to takes on Gary "Pit Bull" Gomez - who will be hoping that he can get the job done in half the time if only the "Half-Man" bit turns up and the "Half-Amazing" bit doesn't.
But the best story from the undercard is that of Las Vegas defence attorney Marc "The Defender" Saggese who, in addition to being an honest-to-God lawyer, is also trying his hand at professional boxing.
Saggese has had two fights, winning both by knockout and fights one-fight, one-win welterweight Buddy Payne. Saggese, 34, says he concentrated on a law career but boxing was his first love and he is now returning to the ring after establishing a successful legal practice.
Boxing being a sport where defence attorneys are more common outside the ring, Saggese has not left his day job.
But he has said he would, if boxing works out for him: "There's no question I'd put my professional world on hold," he said. "I could be a lawyer when I'm 65. There's only a short time to be a professional athlete."
Tua vs Montana, Maori TV from 1pm today.
