Boxing: Regime has Tua fighting fit

By PETER JESSUP

David Tua has changed trainers in a bid to revitalise his world title aspirations, replacing Ronnie Shields with Joe Goosen of the America Presents stable.

Tua's manager, Kevin Barry, denied the change was brought about by any dissatisfaction with Shields. Instead, it was time for a change after eight years.

"If we had had Ronnie here today we would have been doing the same things we were doing before the Lennox Lewis fight," Barry said, in reflecting on Tua's 12-round world championship loss in November.

"Instead, it's a whole new ball game, totally different from anything we've done before," he said from Las Vegas, where the contender is training for a March 23 bout with Dannell Nicholson to decide the No 1, and mandatory challenger, position.

They were out running snow-covered hills at 6.30 am yesterday as they have been every day this week as Goosen brings a new discipline to the camp. He is brother to America Presents manager Dan and one of eight brothers and two sisters involved in every facet of the boxing business, from promotion through training, law and physio.

Joe Goosen has trained five present or former world champions in lower weight divisions and guides current WBA junior lightweight champion Cuban Joel Casameyor and American Michael Nunn, who is No 1 contender in the light-heavy division.

"He came on board for a one-week trial and we liked what we saw, the results were so marked," Barry said after he and Tua decided to switch this week. Barry admitted they had considered changing trainers for the Lewis fight but at the time they had left Main Events and everything else in the routine was changing.

"I thought it might be too much."

During the title bout at the Mandalay Bay casino, Shields and Barry could be heard giving Tua conflicting instructions at times, but Barry said they had no concerns about Shields' work. Rather it was what Goosen offered, he said, but he then intimated that Goosen would have behaved differently in the corner. "Ronnie's a good trainer but I was concerned Ronnie couldn't communicate with David during the Lewis fight - when we needed him most he wasn't there.

"Joe is a very good cornerman and motivator."

Barry said they were fortunate in getting another shot at the No 1 position so soon. Some boxers had to wait two to three years for a second chance and for others it never came.

"We have one chance at this - Dave can't afford to get it wrong and nor can I. We both feel comfortable with the decision, that it will spark new life in him.

"He and Joe have gelled very quickly and are working well together."

After his standard early-morning run yesterday, Tua shadow-boxed and worked his way through 27 rounds with Goosen.

Tua has also added a strength and conditioning coach and a science-based nutrition and supplements programme as he builds to the date with Nicholson.

The fight will be at the Texas Station casino. The 2000-odd seats are sure to sell out, and the event will be broadcast live by Showtime, but the venue, exposure and $US350,000 ($805,300) purse are well down on what he enjoyed last November.

The team have had some trouble with accommodation the past fortnight. The previous tenants of Tua's preferred training camp base at Prince Ranch, just north of Vegas, refused to shift out on time.

"Lawyers got involved, it was very messy," Barry said.

They opted to shift to the city home of Ranch owner Greg Handley for a fortnight, but expect to take up residence this week.