He looked like he could have been. Tua was just an immensely powerful ball of muscle with tremendous explosiveness and flawless technique on his one money punch. Possibly the hardest puncher the HW division has ever seen.
Despite what they admit, I'm pretty sure all heavyweights lift heavy weights. How else do the lean ones weigh 220 - 260lbs?
It would be hard to imagine how he could have built that massive muscle mass (back and legs) unless he was using some sort of resistance training. You don't get these kinda wheels simply from sparring and rope jumping: https://media.gettyimages.com/photo...ighin-for-the-fight-of-the-picture-id91313627
There were videos of him benching with weights. But hard not to have any muscle when your 5ft 10 and 220 plus pounds.
He spent the prime of his career in the 240’s, even 250”s. That dude was a little ball of muscle and destruction.
I trained with Tua in Jersey City for about a year and I never saw him with weights. He was just a naturally thick guy. Not saying he didn’t lift at another gym, but I never saw it.
Coaching, practice and the rest born with the right stuff to throw it. Weights may have helped a bit. Same with Rocky’s SuzieQ. Same with Wlads straight right. Tyson’s uppercut etc.
Samoan and Polynesian genetics are a blessing and a curse. Extremely high bone density but also prone to obesity and laziness. Tua could have achieved more but the latter got the better of him at times. That left hook was money though. The result of genes and hard work in the gym.
How many Polynesian strong men do you see competing? These guys genetically suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes despite being as strong as two men. Tua was just genetically gifted. In one department.
ill assume he wasnt but developed his hook hitting carcasses while working as a butcher. In my opinion Tua was more compact and faster with his and hit harder. Im only here to learn baby,no need for the unwarranted aggression.
i went to school with a high % of polynesians,it does seem a higher % of them compared to the palagis(whites) are born with thicker thighs. thats an impressive photo,the mans got wheels.