Tua vs Williamson

Tua faces top prospect Tim Williamson on October 18 to continue his Tua of Duty. Williamson has been sparring with both Klits as well as McCline. He's a southpaw at 6'2" and a half and went 5 rounds with Timo Hoffman.

 

Source, Sunday News in NZ. Don't count out Tuff Tim. He's sparred with both Klits. Finished up with a grin on his face from his inside work.

 

Shape up
JOHN MATHESON - Sunday News | Sunday, 30 September 2007


/fontTeam Tua came out fighting last night as critics prepared to blast the credentials of David Tua's next opponent.

Tua will fight ballooned-up cruiserweight Tim Williamson a fighter who has been inactive for 21 months in Michigan next month.

Tua impressive in his last two wins against Saul Montana and Cerrone Fox had hoped for a better opponent for his outing at the Kewadin Casino but with many ranked heavyweights refusing to fight him, he has had to settle for the Pittsburgh southpaw.

"Is it the fight we hoped for? Of course not," Tua's trainer Roger Bloodworth told Sunday News from Tua's training camp in Arizona.

"It's frustrating but it's part of the boxing game.

"If I had an up-and-coming undefeated boxer and a promoter said `How about David Tua?' I'd say `What's my boy going to gain except for maybe getting hurt?'

"If you understand that you understand why we take the fights we can get."

Critics like former NZ heavyweight champ Lance Revill and former light-welterweight champ-turned TVNZ pundit Billy Graham have been at the forefront of attacks on Tua in recent months.

They have questioned Tua's ability, fitness and opponents.

"Those guys," said Bloodworth, "tell them to glove up and step up. I don't care about them.

"I only care about Dave continuing to fight regularly. David is ready to fight anyone out there, right now.

"If one of the champions wants to give us a shot, we're ready to take it."

Tua's quest to fight for his first title shot since his unsuccessful bout against Lennox Lewis in 2000 is being sandbagged by the heavyweight division's latest trend run and hide.

Of the four current champions Wladimir Klitschko (IBF and IBO belts), Ruslan Chagaev (WBA), Oleg Maskaev (WBC) and Sultan Ibragimov (WBO) only the last has a fight planned, against Evander Holyfield in Moscow on October 14.

And Tua's punching power (42 career knockouts) and record (he's beaten four champions John Ruiz, Hasim Rahman, Michael Moorer and Maskaev mean he's very much an unwanted opponent.

"You can't even call out a champion at the moment 'cause they're not fighting," Bloodworth said.

"So, if the champs aren't fighting, the next thing you want is an elimination bout with the winner getting a title shot.

"We'd take that tomorrow. But with every top-line fight politics comes into play, along with money.

"A lot of things need to happen for us to get a shot. To win a title you need to be ready and you need some luck.

"So, we are going to take care of what we can take care of.

"I'm keeping David busy so that when the opportunity does come, he'll be ready.

"I don't want to see him sitting around idly doing nothing. I don't care if he's fighting Humpty Dumpty because as long as he is preparing right for the fight he'll be improving something.

"I don't want to see him go backwards.

"And the thing that will make him go backwards is inactivity."

Team Tua's strategy is an obvious one stay busy and eventually the sanctioning bodies will have to take notice of him.

Said Bloodworth: "What's the alternative? Give Dave four months off because we can't get (World No 17) Calvin Brock into the ring?

"All that would do is take us back to square one.

"We're content, not satisfied. We'll wait our turn and we'll be ready when they come calling."

Maori Television has live coverage of the Tua-Williamson bout on October 19.