Boxing: Tua has title fight but may miss star billing

David Tua has secured his second world heavyweight title fight but the New Zealand boxer may not be top of the bill when he fights Hasim Rahman in Atlantic City on December 13.

Tua's third fight against tough American Rahman will be for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) title, following an agreement between both parties and promoter Don King in Miami today.

Former holder Roy Jones junior decided to return to the light heavyweight class and meet World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation champ Antonio Tarver on November 8.

It leaves Aucklander Tua and Rahman, ranked second and third respectively by the WBA, to battle for the crown at Ballys Hotel and Casino as part of King's pay-per-view card.

Despite the stakes, Tua's fight was unlikely to be the biggest drawcard.

The evening also includes a unification title fights between welterweights Ricardo Mayorga (WBA and WBC champion) and Cory Spinks (IBF) and middleweights Bernard Hopkins (WBC, WBA and IBF) and William Joppy.

Tua's manager Kevin Barry said while it would be "nice" to receive top billing, he accepted the other fights were also of huge interest. Shooting star Mayorga was among the most attractive pay-per-view names in boxing, Barry said.

He was nevertheless happy and relieved that all parties had signed at the Miami Hilton today.

"After weeks of to-ing and fro-ing we finally have what we were after," Barry told Radio Sport.

A purse bid for the fight had been put off three times, with Barry saying Rahman's camp had been seeking greater stakes from King for their fighter.

Barry would not reveal the money on offer to Tua but said he was pleased with how their dealings with King had gone, saying they had used a straightforward, honest approach with the promoter who has a reputation for his tough negotiating.

Power-punching Aucklander Tua will have his second shot at a world title, although it won't have quite the status of his failed challenge three years ago against Lennox Lewis, regarded then as the world's best boxer.

Barry has described December's fight as the decisive dual in the "trilogy" between Tua and Rahman.

Tua won the first encounter in 1998 with a 10th-round knockout although Rahman was adamant a Tua punch after the ninth round bell ruined his chances.

Their second meeting, in March, was the last time either of them had been in the ring, ending in a 12-round draw which both camps disputed.

Tua has a career record of 42-3-1, with 27 knockouts, and Rahman has a 35-4-1 record, with 29 knockouts.

- NZPA