By James Slater – According to a news release on New Zealand web site, stuff.co.nz, heavyweight powerhouse David Tua is both looking trim and is fully injury free right now. Fans are aware of how Tua’s unexpectedly tough fight with New York’s Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett was so competitive, in large part, because of the injured left shoulder the Samoan slugger carried into the ring with him last July..
It has since been revealed that the 38-year-old had an injured rotator cuff going into the Barrett fight and, taking nothing away from the fine effort Barrett put in, it is easy to see why Tua struggled like he did. Such a shoulder injury is a serious issue and it’s surprising Team-Tua allowed the July rumble to go ahead. In any case, Tua says he is now fine, although he did not actually have surgery on his shoulder.
According to the New Zealand media, Tua, 51-3-2(43) instead underwent 12 weeks of rehab on his shoulder.
“I think the best thing is we have been very smart with this [injury],” Tua said yesterday. “We got away without needing surgery and it’s been successful. It’s feeling very good.”
Tua, after the rehab sessions, went back into training, and he has reportedly put in a good eleven weeks of work for his March return against the sometimes-dangerous King. The plan is for Tua – should he get past King – to keep busy. Tua’s manager/adviser Inga Tuigamala says a June date is already pencilled in for Tua’s next fight.
“We want to keep David busy now,” he said. “That’s important at this stage of his career.”
Tuigamala would not say who the planned opponent is for the June fight, but in New Zealand there are rumours that say it will either be Barrett in a rematch, or failing that, Hasim Rahman, which would be a third meeting between the two, or possibly even a fight with Evander Holyfield.
Barrett recently said he wanted Tua to “Man-up and agree to the fight in New Zealand,” so he clearly wants the return fight. However, “Two Gunz” said what he said before his disappointing majority draw with Charles Davis. Will the 39-year-old New Yorker be as up for the rematch now that he’s struggled so badly with as limited a fighter as the oft-beaten Davis?
For now though, Tua must focus on 26-year-old King, 15-19(13). The Michigan fighter has a record that is not too pretty to look at, but he has been stopped just twice and he can punch. It remains to be seen how effective King will be once he’s taken that long flight to New Zealand.
Can Tua string together a few impressive-looking KO’s as he makes one last run at the title? One thing about Tua is this: he is always fun to watch. Let’s see what he has left in March.