ummm come on...lets not get crazy the last 10 years he fought complete crap and pissed away his career
Tua retired because he heard Lou Esa was on the comeback trail and David knew "Big" Lou would clobber him. So he ran away.
Monte Barret retired him simple as that. The two fights with Barret were a disaster for Tua's last run at a title. Monte, whom I thought was finished after his humiliation at the hands of the Shadow, pulled out the fights of his life and ended Tua. It's a sad thing because many less deserving people have held HW straps but it is what it is.
Barrett didn't end Tuas career. **** out of here. Some of you mother****ers will never understand. ****ing embarrassing.
As far as I'm concerned Ike Ibeabuchi retired David Tua. David Tua has'nt been seen since Ike Ibeabuchi snatched his heart.
No disputing he was among the most exciting throughout the late 90s. Its somewhat unbelievable he never got a heavyweight belt having KO'd four champions.
That was a great performance from Barrett though, I was kinda rooting for Monte in the fight and they way he pulled it off was great. Best of luck to Tua in his future tho.
No fighter snatched Tuas heart. Everyone can't become champion. It wasn't in the cards for Tua. He was a gentleman, and a good guy. He had his shot.
Tua was clearly the most underrated fighter. He's fought and beat 4 or 5 fighters that were either before they were champions or after. Tua was the first man to ko the hell out of ruiz and the first man to tko Rahman. And i still believe tua beat ike in one of the greatest hw fights of all times. No heavyweight fights in this decade was better then tua vs ike in the late 90's.
Tua isn't retired. He's retired, FOR NOW, while he gets his **** together. He owes 6.2 million bucks to the IRD and lawyers, his wife left him, and he's not in a good frame of mind right now. Barrett didn't retire him. Tua didn't punch for the first 6 rounds due to "being in a fog" due to his wife leaving him yet again, just before the weigh in. He started eating to deal with it, and came to the fight shell-shocked. Once his trainer got him sorted, he took charge, nearly ending it in the 11th, and knocking Barrett down in the 12th. What ended it for Tua was leaving Lou Duva. Duva had him fighting fit. After Duva, Tua gained 20 pounds for his next few fights, and came to camp weighing 280 vs LL.
Thanks for what you gave Tuaman. I can't lie, I still secretly hoped he could somehow get into another title fight, but as I knew, and Tua solidifed, it couldn't happen. Hope you do well in retirement (if you stay retired) Tua, you deserved it, and picked the right time to hang 'em up. I'm a bit emo about this one...