David Tua's hopes of another shot at a world heavyweight boxing title is in tatters after American Monte Barrett defeated him in a unanimous decision in Auckland tonight.
In a bout that was dubbed a career-defining fight, the 38-year-old Tua failed to show any of the power of his glorydays until the closing rounds when he knocked down Barrett in the 12th round, but it was not enough to wrest the win from the American.
Barrett used superior ring craft to outbox his more respected opponent over the 12-round contest to secure one the biggest wins in his 46-fight professional career and claim the WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental Belts.
The loss, Tua's fourth in his 58 professional bouts, may force him to hang up the gloves, something the 40-year-old Barrett put on hold for the chance to rectify a draw with the Samoan-born New Zealander in New Jersey last July.
Barrett who became the first man to floor Tua with a 12th round knockdown in Atlantic City last year, was knocked down with 58 seconds left in the final round after a vicious combination of punches from Tua, but he managed to haul himself off the canvas and survive until the bell to earn a deserved win.
The judges scored the fight 114-113, 115-112, 115-112 in favour of Barrett who is about to embark on a career as a professional wrestler.
Tua was sluggish and subdued in the opening rounds with Barrett using his reach advantage to keep the former challenger for the WBC, IBF and IBO world heavyweight titles at bay.
Barrett's jab kept a flabby Tua on the periphery and his right hand and left hook combinations ensured he won rounds two and three as Tua looked out of sorts.
He opened up a cut above Tua's right eye in the third round and it was a more active Tua who emerged in the fourth round, but he continued to be out-thought by the 100.9kg American who racked up round after round against his ineffective opponent.
Tua's major weapon, the left hook landed only fleeting blows on the tall Barrett and then failed to follow up some up his rare successes with anything more substantial.
It took until the 10th round before Tua, who weight in at 110.8kg before the fight, sparked into life and even then, despite landing two left hooks in quick succession which wobbled a tiring Barrett he could not follow up with anything of substance. The American was able to regather his senses and avoid the stalking Tua by moving side to side and staying outside his shorter opponent's reach.
With Tua needing a knockout to snatch the victory he upped the ante in the closing rounds and despite flooring Barrett with under a minute left to go in the round with a vicious left hook followed by two powerful rights, could not land the killer blow to save the fight and possibly his career.
On the undercard, promising amateur heavyweight Joseph Parker claimed a points win over Australia's Nathan McKay.
Light middleweight Steve Heremia forced Brad Pohl's corner to throw in the towel after a crushing right hand in the second round of their professional bout, while super middleweight Isaac Peach had a unanimous decision over Gunnar Jackson in their six-round fight.
