Boxing: Ten points you need to know about the Tua fight...

By PETER JESSUP

1. The belts Tua and Lewis will fight for are very valuable in their own right, never mind the purse. The International Boxing Federation belt is festooned with diamonds and rubies, and has a global map in gold set on red leather.

The World Boxing Council belt is encircled by the flags of the world, with golden figures of boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis on the front. The World Boxing Association belt that goes with it has two gold silhouettes of boxers with three crowns set above, the crowns adorned with diamonds and rubies.

2. The two fighters and their teams must be in their dressing-rooms two hours before the fight and are not allowed to leave. An official from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which licences every fight in the state, will remain in the room to ensure there are no dirty tricks.

3. After trainer Ronnie Shields wraps Tua's hands and tapes them, the commissioner will inspect them and autograph each to ensure they are not changed. He will also watch Shields tie Tua's gloves and mark them off.

4. The gloves that the fighters will use are Reyes. Lewis, as champion, had the choice of brand between Reyes and Everlast. Reyes are known as punchers' gloves, carrying the harder hit, while Everlast are believed by fighters to be better for defence.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission sets out 10 pairs for the boxers to choose from, with Lewis getting first choice.

5. Neither camp may approach referee Joe Cortez before fight day.

In the last two hours before the bout Cortez will go to each fighter's room and tell them what he expects, what they are not to do, and how he intends controlling the bout. He is likely, in this fight, to warn Lewis not to hold and smother, and to warn Tua about low blows.

6. For world title fights, there is an allowance for an extra cornerman. The four to be in Tua's corner are trainer Ronnie Shields, manager Kevin Barry, his brother Brian, and cuts man Joe Souza, who will be called on to repair any split skin that might otherwise threaten an early end to the fight.

7. Each boxer will be asked for a urine sample before the fight. The drug testing is mandatory in Nevada. No fighter is allowed to take the ring while on medication of any sort.

8. Ring announcer Michael Buffer of "let's get ready to rumble" fame is paid a flat $US20,000 fee for introducing the fighters. He and his partner are on an expenses-free trip.

Buffer has copyrighted the phrase and the drawn-out delivery. You can buy the string-pull Michael Buffer doll in tuxedo for $US25.

9. While other US state athletic commissions will appoint judges from around the country and even around the world, Nevada law requires all fight officials to be residents of the state. Many of the expert officals now live there as the state assumes the mantle of the home of boxing from New York and Atlantic City, largely thanks to the huge amounts of money put up by casinos.

10. This is the first time in heavyweight history that both combatants for the championship are not from the United States.

Since the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules in the late 1890s there have been five non-American champions - Bob Fitzsimmons, born in Cornwall, England, and raised in Timaru, New Zealand, German Max Schmeling, Canadian Tommy Burns, Ingemar Johanson from Sweden and Canadian-born English-resident Lennox Lewis.

Herald Online feature: the Tua fight

The Herald Online is ringside for the countdown to David Tua's tilt at the world heavyweight boxing title. Reporter Peter Jessup and photographer Kenny Rodger bring you all the news, inside information and pictures, leading up to this Sunday afternoon's showdown in Las Vegas.