Boxing: Tua's moment of truth looms

David Tua

David Tua puts his boxing future on the line at the Trusts Stadium tomorrow night and fans can expect an indication of how his bout with Talmadge "Two Guns" Griffis will go when Tua stands on the scales at the pre-fight weigh-in today.

Lose, and Tua's shot at the world title is surely over. Griffis is ranked around 129 in the world. His last fight was a points decision loss to Clifford Etienne, who fought on the Tua-Lewis undercard in November 2000.

There are all sorts of connections in this fight. Tua beat Griffis' trainer, Krishna Wainwright, early in his pro career in 1993. Among Griffis' 22 wins is one over Greg Pickrom, who sparred with Tua pre-Lewis.

Griffis, who said he gets his nickname because he has two "naturally big arms", won 14 of those fights by knockout, has lost five and drawn three.

For Tua this is fight 47 - 42 wins, losses to Ike Ibeabuchi, Chris Byrd and Lewis and a last-up draw with Hasim Rahman in March 2003. The multiple boxing organisations have mostly removed him from their considerations and rankings.

Against Tua going into this is the two-year gap since he was last competitively in the ring, the lack of a recognised boxing trainer in his build-up and an opponent who has an age, height and reach advantage.

Behind him is United States promoter Cedric Kushner, who paid out Tua's contract with America Presents, apparently for around US$1 million ($1.4 million), but has yet to get any return on investment. Tua has been conditioned by martial arts trainer Lee Parore and is aiming for a weigh-in mark of around 253lbs. That would be getting to the upper end of a rise in size that has seen him grow from 204lbs at his first professional fight after taking bronze at the Barcelona Olympics to 259.5lbs at his last outing.

At age 32 his speed will not be improving and size won't help. But he still, no doubt, has that devastating left hook. "I'm not worried about his hook," Griffis said yesterday, then revising, "Of course I'm worried about it - not scared of it, but worried - I just have to take that away from him."

He'd studied video of Tua's fights and seen the damage the long-range jab can do.

He said his and Tua's styles were similar. He wasn't worried about standing toe-to-toe with Tua. "There is no fear but there's always worry."

Griffis has been in Auckland for a week after seizing the deal for the fight when approached by Tua. "It's a great opportunity for me," he said.

The pair meet at Sky City at 10am today for the weigh-in and posturing.

Eight bouts precede the main event at the Henderson venue, with the build-up to live coverage of the 10.30pm fight beginning on TV1 at 9.30pm.