Boxing: Tua's money man sticking to contract

By ALAN PERROTT, MARTIN JOHNSTON and NZPA

David Tua's financial manager plans to keep to his two-year contract despite his apparent dumping.

Martin Pugh and manager Kevin Barry were abruptly dumped by the heavyweight boxer on Wednesday night.

But last night Pugh joined Barry in saying he intended to stick to his contract with the Samoan boxer.

Pugh, who was on holiday in Queensland, said it was two weeks since he heard from Tua.

"I haven't been instructed that I've been terminated."

He had no idea of the reason for the announcement, which shattered the pairing of Barry and Tua, one of the best known relationships in New Zealand sport.

Pugh, who described himself as Tua's "white brother", said he had spoken briefly to his lawyer and had no plans to sue.

His comments come the same day Barry arrived back in Auckland from Las Vegas in an effort to sort out the rift, maintaining he too still had a two-year management contract with Tua.

"I have given it 100 per cent and I think I have done a pretty good job," Barry said on his arrival at Auckland Airport.

"The news is hurtful."

Before he left his Las Vegas base to fly back to New Zealand, Barry said he had managed Tua and had helped him become one of the world's top heavyweight boxers.

He said he marketed and promoted him to the New Zealand public and refined him to become one of the most recognisable names in the country.

Although he would not be training Tua any more, he still had a management contract.

"I will still work to the best of my ability to guide and manage his career."

Barry, who won an Olympic silver medal in Los Angeles in 1984 but never fought professionally, said Tua was nearing the end of his career, with two or three years left and maybe five more training camps.

Barry's wife, former Olympic gymnast Tanya Moss, said he was emotionally and physically drained after the flight home and was in need of some family time.

"Barry doesn't want to talk to anybody until he has spoken to David," said Ms Moss, although she would not say if or when any meeting might occur.

Tua is determined to remain out of the public eye, lying low in South Auckland.

One person celebrating the breakup is Hasim Rahman, the man Barry signed up as Tua's next opponent only 48 hours before being dumped.

The third Rahman-Tua encounter may become a title bout if present WBA champion Roy Jones jnr either refuses to defend his belt against the winner or if he loses his upcoming lightheavyweight matchup against Antonio Tarver.

In an interview with Boxingtalk.com, Rahman threw some harsh jibes at Barry after hearing he had been sacked.

"I was actually looking forward to one last press conference with Kevin Barry.

"Just one last press conference with Crocodile Dundee. Tell Kevin to give me a call.

"We might have a job for him. I think I need somebody to carry some water or something to the ring for us.

"Tell him to reach out to us. We do have the waterboy job available and he could be Bobby Bouchet (Adam Sandler's character in the movie The Waterboy) of Team Rahman."


Split hard to repair

Not even an intimate heart to heart may be enough to repair the highly public breakup of David Tua and his spurned manager, Kevin Barry.

Relationship counsellors believe any reconciliation will depend on the depth of the bond between them and the degree of hurt Barry has suffered.

Heavyweight boxer Tua has remained silent since he announced the dumping of managers Barry and Martin Pugh live on radio on Wednesday night.

Tua and Barry have often referred to their 12-year relationship as being a marriage.

"Maybe they had become too close," suggested Chris Vernon, a counsellor with Man Alive.

"In effect they had a business deal which they both benefited from and it looks like the business part is moving on and moving ahead."

Even if they reach some resolution he suspects the pair may never be as close again.

It is definitely time for an honest, private conversation, says Louise Chapman from Relationship Services, but it will be a difficult breakup for the friends to come back from.