Boxing: Tua’s No 1 fan sleepy but proud of his dad

David Tua was at his son Kaynan's day-late 7th birthday party with wife Robina yesterday.

He had worn the boy's name emblazoned on his midriff protector in the fight against Talmadge Griffis at Trusts Stadium on Thursday night because he had to focus on the fight and the family had to delay the celebration.

Kaynan had tried to stay up late to watch his dad on television with grandparents Tuavale and Noela, but he couldn't keep his eyes open and was tired and fell asleep again yesterday at his own party.

But he was proud of his dad.

Tua had a meeting with promoter Cedric Kushner about his future following his 10th-round TKO of Griffis.

"He wasn't unhappy that I didn't knock the guy out," Tua said in reply to criticism that he should have ended the fight early.

"Yeah, I was very happy with the outcome - I knew I would be rusty, I was happy to go to nine and three-quarter rounds."

He didn't get caught up in the occasion, he said, when asked about his arrival from the upper level of the Trusts Stadium via cherry picker, the stadium in darkness until he reappeared in the ring.

"I loved the moment but I didn't get caught up in it.

"That was obviously the problem with the tile fight [with Lennox Lewis in November 2000] but last night I didn't lose focus. I don't think I did too bad for myself."

What followed the entrance and the national anthems of the United States, Samoa and New Zealand was a slow start in rounds one to three, prompting further criticism that Tua had lost the benefit of his pre-bout warm-up. "I wasn't rushing myself," he said.

He complimented Griffis for his effort.

The fight ended with the American on his feet only via the power of Tua's punches before referee Lance Revill stepped in to stop proceedings with 25 seconds to go.

Tua said he saw Griffis before he flew home.

Neither was hurt but it was clear who had the worse bruising.

"There's no love lost in the ring but we are friends as one Christian brother to another," Tua said.

He agreed he needed a proper boxing trainer before his next contest, which Kushner plans within 90 days. "No disrespect to the people who helped me, but it's important to have a trainer, sure ... "