David Tua did have a great chin however...

Some people overrate him, & some people underrate him. Tua is one of those oddball fighters that in my opinion there isn't much middle ground for, when it comes to fans opinions that is.

 

I never saw tua running exactly. Anyway tua would destroy shavers

 

Maybe, maybe not. Shavers came a lot closer to winning the title off Holmes than Tua did vs Lewis.

 

I don't dispute the principle of what you're suggesting, in terms of giving it a go when the going gets tough. But, Tua isn't Chavez, Duran, Frazier or Tyson - all ATGs; as is Lewis. As such, despite Tua's efforts, he was never in it. Had he been, then one might have considered him somewhere near capable of pulling off the claw-back.

Then there might be a case for suggesting Tua capitulated. As it is, I don't think a strong case can be made for this. The match didn't resemble any of those you give as example - not even remotely. In this case, I think the gulf in class between him and Lewis was so evident that nothing Tua did would have made a difference, other than to reinforce the obvious.

Lewis was more than happy to stay on his bike behind the jab for large parts of the fight and go the 12 rounds. Perhaps, wisely so since, had he entertained a fire fight, who knows how that might have turned out. No, this was a routine affair for Lewis, during which he wasn't going to take any risks.

I very much doubt Lewis would have given Tua a shot, had he not been made a mandatory challenger.

 

I disagree with that.

LL fought everyone and that included multiple DKP matches. And Tua was with Main Events so the bout is never hard to make.

Be that as it may, the footwork and mobility with Tua is going to rear it's head fighting a guy like Lewis.That's the huge weakness of Tua and his top half is so much better than his bottom half. He has cement legs, let alone trying to get him to box off his toes.

Tua does much much better against the guys coming to him. Or finally getting his opponents to slow down on their movement to his pace, then he can catch them. LL was never going to do that and Tua is no Frazier in the pressure department.


The Tuaman also had that real real bad habit of doing nothing on the outside from time to time. He'd have his left hand at his waist and would rock side to side. But his feet were in cement and and his side to side weave was like a metronome on slow speed. I don't know if it was his take a breather time or if he was trying to think in the ring or what, but it sure happened with the guy.

I thought Tua made a big error in judgement not signing up w/ DKP. He could have fought Ruiz and some of the other softies King would have put him in with. Been champ for awile. And we, the fans, likely would have seen some opponents going into Auckland trying to beat the guy in front of what, 80,000 fans?

 

The Daily Telegraph
08 Nov 2000, Wed

Boxing: Lewis forced to show Tua a little respect

BOXING is big on traditions - and history says that short, fat men don't win the heavyweight championship of the world.

By Bob Mee

(excerpt)

The feeling is that

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. He is the No 1 contender according to the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation, which means that Lewis had to box him or face being relieved of two more of the belts that he took so long to win.

"

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" Lewis said. "I believe he deserves a title shot in the sense that he's been around a long while and who else is there to fight?"

 

He seemed to lack the will and drive to lay it all out and go for the victory in numerous fights. He just seemed content to be there.

 

Shavers losses are considerably worse than Tua's losses. He was wiped out in one round by Quarry and was beaten by a far past it Ali who lost to Spinks in his next fight. In Tua's era I doubt a shot 1977 Ali would be champion. Aside from the knockdown round Shavers lost every round to Holmes, it wasn't a close fight.

 

And quite a few more as well.

 

irrelevant
Still tua would kill shavers in 1...

 

Tua also took some tremendous shots against Lewis. Going the distance with an ATG like Lennox Lewis, is nothing to be ashamed of.

 

Tua's nonviolent non-aggression was even more inexplicable in the Byrd fight imo.