by James Slater: It’s been a long time coming, but it appears the big-punching David Tua will at last get back in the mix of things at or near the upper echelon of the heavyweight division later this year. According to an article in the New Zealand Sunday News, Tua has agreed to face the winner of the upcoming Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola and “Gentleman” Chazz Witherspoon bout – a clash of unbeaten big men that takes place on June 21st..
Tua will still go ahead with his planned July tune-up bout in Odessa, Ukraine, before tackling the Arreola-Witherspoon winner in either September of October. “The Tuaman’s” July opponent is not yet known, but according to Sunday News a name will be announced within the next few weeks. So, finally, for the first time since his draw with Hasim “The Rock” Rahman in 2003, Tua will get it on with a formidable opponent.
Now aged 35, Tua has a record of 49-3-1(42) and remains one of the biggest names in the heavyweight division. Thanks to the crushing power that has seen him win a number of fights via the highlight reel KO, fans still get excited whenever Tua has an upcoming bout planned. However, in facing only trial horses and journey men since his rematch with Rahman, Tua has disappointed. Now at last he is scheduled to go in with a more than credible name. Whether it be Arreola or Witherspoon he winds up facing later this year, the 35 year old powerhouse will be engaging in a very intriguing fight – one that should tell us how much Tua has left.
If he can beat June’s eventual winner (the June 21st bout is a decent enough match-up as it is, by the way), Tua will perhaps find himself in line for another crack at a world title – especially if he wins by a devastating, get people talking, KO. Quite surprisingly, considering how well known he is, Tua has only ever had one world title fight in his entire career. Losing on points to Lennox Lewis back in late 2000, Tua was something of a letdown. Now, however, should he recapture some of the form that saw him give us great fights against good opposition like Ike Ibeabuchi (one of the best heavyweight fights in recent years), John Ruiz and Michael Moorer (both spectacular 1st round KO’s), Tua will find himself getting a second chance to become heavyweight champion.
It may not be too late for David Tua after all. Let’s see who wins in June and then assess the Samoan slugger’s chances of at last becoming the champion many expected him to become back in the late 1990s/early 2000s.