Boxing: Tua vows to fight on

Heavyweight David Tua will continue to fight after losing a unanimous points decision to American Monte Barret. Photo / Dean Purcell

Heavyweight David Tua will not hang up his boxing gloves after losing a unanimous points decision to American Monte Barrett in Auckland last night.

The bout was considered career-defining for the 38-year-old Tua as he sought to earn to tilt at another title shot, but he was instead forced to lick his wounds after being outboxed by his 40-year-old opponent.

The former challenger for the WBC, IBF, and IBO world heavyweight titles only sparked into life in the closing three rounds and knocked Barrett down in the 12th round but could not land the knockout blow he needed. Despite the knock down he could not argue with the judges who scored the bout 115-112, 115-112 and 114-113 in favour of Barrett. It was a sweet result for Barrett who was denied a win over Tua in Atlantic City last July by the judges and had to settle for a controversial draw.

Tua, who slumped to his fourth loss in his 58-fight professional career, was adamant he was not finished as a boxer.

"Every fight you have to approach it like it is your last fight. I left everything in the ring tonight and unfortunately it didn't go my way, but I'll live to fight another day," Tua said after the fight.

Asked if he would like a third contest against Barrett, Tua was succinct with his answer: "Please".

Barrett out-thought Tua 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 was Tua's fourth in 58 professional bouts and despite his late rally, it was all too easy for Barrett to accumulate the points against a static Tua who struggled to get to grips with the New Yorker.

"I just couldn't get it going, I felt I couldn't get out of second gear," Tua said of his subdued opening.

"I tried to come on later during the fight and I did the best I could and gave it my all."

Tua, who was well behind throughout the fight, thought his late flurry might have swung the bout his way.

"I thought I did enough," he said, but in reality he needed to knock out the gritty Barrett to have any chance of snatching the win.

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.

Barrett's jab kept Tua on the periphery and his right hand and left hook combinations ensured he got the points he needed from the judges in the early rounds as Tua failed to find his best.

It took until the 10th round before Tua, who weighed 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 and the American was able to regather his senses.

Tua's famed punching power revealed itself again in the final round, but it was too little too late.

- NZPA