What's your Opinion Of David Tua?

For all his pluses (Chin, power, stamina) he lacked defense, couldn’t cut off the ring to well, defense was mediocre. He had the right tools but didn’t quite put it all together correctly. Slick boxers with good chins will always beat him.

 

Tua is actually 5'9" tall and has a 70 inch reach. No jab no real skills. He a big puncher though with a pretty good chin. Makseav as listed as he was had him beat on points until he scored an 11th round KO. That right, he would have lost in ten on points to Maskev. He would have lot to Rahman too if not for landing a blow after the belt and some favorable scoring while he himself was floored in the re-match.

 

One of the best, highly marketable, more than a haircut and a punch, million dollar smile, ripped beyond tysonesque (in Chris Byrd fight) short, stocky, built like a mule, an atg skill wise. The best to never win a championship. Good manners, humble, pack a punch like Lewis!, Left hook where Joe Frazier left off, very good sparring partner to get Holyfield ready for Tyson, made quick work of the great John Ruiz (played ping pong with his head forcing him to change his style) hard hitting, slugger, awesome endurance (Ike fight) killer instinct s, lethal finisher, proud Samoan, bronze medal winner, concussive punching , some of the most lethal kos on highlight reel, knocked Michael Moorer unconscious, hard to hurt, average defense, known to eat a punch like m and ms. Especially against Lennox Lewis where he smiled after taking double Ls biggest shot. Best ever Pacific Islander, David the tuaman Tua!!!!! And great chin.

 

He was a great legend to his people, and a fearsome warrior on the world stage.

In some ways, its fitting that he never a belt. He is the ultimate contender in a world full of meaningless trinkets.

But I fo find it odd that in his era and with his resume he only ever got one shot at the title.

At least Johnny Ruiz should have wanted the run back with him when Ruiz was champ and Tua had already declined badly.

Or even Rahman who was a multiple time world champion, and who fought Tua multiple times, but never for a title on the line.

Or even Byrd, who bested him when they were up and comers, and went on to win a title

 

Scary, scary dude. Would have been a fabulous champ if there were a division for Island Gnomes.

But in all seriousness, he was too big to make Cw., so he had to add ridiculous bulk to compete with the big men.

I wish they had kept Cw at 190 lbs. and installed a division at 215 lbs. Like the Olympics, call everything over 215 lbs. Super Heavyweight.