Boxing: It's back to the ring for Tua

By TERRY MADDAFORD

David Tua is back doing what he loves most - getting ready to fight.

Not another courtroom battle but the "real deal", a fight in a boxing ring with a second shot at a world title firmly in his sights.

Obviously a kilo or three over his best fighting weight - he tipped the scales at 111kg in his last fight more than a year ago when he drew with Hasim Rahman over 12 rounds - Tua is determined to trim down.

"I started on Monday," he said at a hastily arranged media conference in Auckland yesterday at which he announced plans to be back in the ring in August.

At the same time, he introduced American Cedric Kushner, who will continue to promote Tua's fights.

"I want to trim down. I need to be around 235lb-240lb when I get back," said Tua, who was sweating under the soft hotel lights. He admitted to being close to 122kg.

"It has been frustrating. I have been concentrating on court stuff.

Tua is involved in a legal battle with former managers Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh.

"I have to get back to the gym and on to a programme. The distraction has been massive."

Tua, 31, will do his initial conditioning in Auckland, but is set to return to the United States, with Las Vegas again likely to be his base.

He has dropped from three to 11 in the world rankings. Under a new rule in the US, boxers who have not fought for more than a year cannot be ranked in the top 10.

"It is very important to be in the States. That's where the action is.

"I believe I can be the world champion. No court case is going to stop me.

"I want my life back. I want to make calls for myself. I want to fight. It's my life. It is what I do best.

"I will surround myself with good people. It will be Cedric Kushner's job to arrange my fights."

Tua said he had not planned to return to the ring until the court case was over, "but I can't wait any longer".

Kushner does not doubt Tua's ability to make it back.

"He has been off the scene for 13 months, but he is not forgotten. I'm besieged on a regular basis by people wanting to know when he is going to fight again," Kushner said.

"He will return to the ring towards the middle of August in the United States and by the end of the year, David Tua will be challenging for the world title.

"Showtime and HBO are as keen as ever to see David back. He has lost a year of his fighting career, but now he is back."

It seems veteran US trainer Lou Duva, who looked after Tua in the early days of his professional career, is in line to take charge again.

Asked who will be Tua's trainer, Kushner said: "That will be up to him. I can make recommendations. Lou Duva is a possibility."

Tua is giving himself "a maximum five years" in the game.

"There is life out there after boxing," he said. "I don't want to be like George [Foreman] and turn out like that."

Tua's record

42 wins (37 by knockout).

Three losses.

One draw.

World ranking 11.