I find it hard to understand how in a world where such unexciting fighters as Ruiz, Valuev, Ibragimov, Chagaev, Briggs, Maskaev, Hide, Brewster, Botha claimed to be "Heavyweight Champion" David Tua missed out. Surely the guy who blitzed Michael Moorer, John Ruiz, Oleg Maskaev and Hasim Rahman (and went 12 rounds with Lewis) in such exciting fashion can consider himself very unlucky to have never been champ. Looking at the list I mention above there is a good argument that the late 80's and 90's era of alphabet champions was far worse than the despised days of Witherspoon, Page, Dokes, Weaver etc? I think David Tua's stock will rise over the years and his continued clips in "boxings best KOs" youtube vids will confirm him as very unlucky not to have had an exciting reign as titleist. In a way his career is like an old time contender where you fight the best, get a shot at the one true champ and then never get another shot if you lose. Sorry a bit of a rambling post but what do you guys think? Woudl he have been the Tyson of the 90's with better management and more focus?
Hide , Maskaev and Brewster unexciting ? Even Valuev does not deserve 2b considered as such . anyway , most of those that u mentioned were Don King fighters , Tua was not . Also , Tua lacked inches in height , it was hard 4 him 2 reach d much bigger guys , he had 2 settle 4 reaching most but not all of d bigger guys . Tua was a gr8 fighter . But Tony Galento gets praised 4 fighting dirty and still getting KOd :yep apollack , CMoyle , klompton need 2 sell their books , and no1 will need 2 read a book on Tua , b/c his fights r there 2c . and janitor / burt bienstock has a stock of books 2 sell . others prefer their cocks in blakk&white i guess .
He didn't blitz Hasim Rahman. He cheap shotted him after the bell, Rahman should have won by DQ. Michael Moorer was more washed up than and old piece of wood on a sandy beach.
Tua's lack of sophistication and refinement was his curse. He had multiple shots at being a titlist; He was decisively outboxed each time. Watch the Rahman fights. He's all but helpless in many rounds. He was a dynamic puncher with a special left hand, but he was slow below the waist, had wooden footwork, and attacked in predictable patterns. If you had the jaw to absorb a shot or two, and top level boxing skills(These two things usually mark a top level fighter), your chances of beating Tua were very solid. His wins are one thing, but if you are wondering why he wasn't a champ, look closer at the L's.
I think he made his own luck to be honest. He was always going to need superior training habits to get to the top, and he did not have them consistently.
Yeah I think I just get carried away by his best KOs! It is not that he is a great fight but that he was unlucky to not be champ. Also Freddie Roach rated him very highly and he should know...
I don't see him being ready for a championship fight before late 1997. By than Lewis was champion. I think Lewis would have also beaten Tua in1997/98.
I woudnt say unlucky...Just not good enough..And Lennox would have just been too much for him..huge size difference.
If he had signed with King he would have been champ several times. His parents kept him away from Don King and although he wound up getting robbed of all his money anyway, he made more fighting under Main Events and Dan Goosen than King. He was certainly a lot better than a lot of the paper champs King got multiple title shots for, including Ruiz who he destroyed quickly.
Unlucky not to be a champ as in the fight vs Lennox? Then would be no, he almost had lennox when he got him with a good hit Lennox's legs were wobbled but he failed to realize and finish him off. Saying that though David Tua is considered to be one of the best heavy weights ever to not win a world title. The problem with david tua was his management/promoter/team have not utilized him to his best. Even Freddie Roach said in a interview that he believed David Tua would of KO'd Mike Tyson and that he tried to reach out to him to give him training. It's fights like this the should of went after and many more great fights they could of put Tua in.
Had he the desire and motivation he'd have made a fight with valuev. But he was never as good as lewis nor byrd.
