Boxing: US fans take Tua into hearts

Herald sports reporter PETER JESSUP catches up with David Tua in Las Vegas as he counts down the days to his world title fight

David Tua looks to be in awesome shape for his world heavyweight boxing title showdown with Britain's Lennox Lewis - fitter and faster than he has ever been.

The American public have taken to him. He is mobbed everywhere he goes in Las Vegas, with fans telling him to "do the business and bring the title home."

Lewis is not perceived as a true champion. Indeed, the venue for the fight, the new Mandalay Bay casino, was taken by surprise by the demand for tickets. The 15,000-seat house sold out in 15 minutes, with the casino raising seat charges as the sales flurry went on. The cheapest were going from $US50 ($125) to $US300 ($750).

That demand was put down to the Tua factor. When the MGM Grand staged a world title fight for the WBA bantamweight belt between Johnny Tapia and Paulie Ayala last weekend, the crowd stood and chanted Tua's name when he arrived to watch.

He was swamped by autograph hunters, and had to leave by a rear door, and later put security guards on the door at the Chinese restaurant where he and his trainers had dinner so they could have space to eat.

But the Big Guy has his head on straight, his feet on the ground and is focused on the job at hand next month.

"I'm enjoying all the attention, but it gets very tiring," he said yesterday. "I can't go down to the mall any more and people-watch, which is what I like doing."

He is still stunned when he sees the big United States television stations running fight promotions and profiles.

The pay-per-view HBO network recently ran a poll among viewers, asking who they thought would win when Tua and Lewis meet on November 12.

"Hey, that's me in the poll," Tua thought. The numbers were about even for each fighter.

"It humbles me," he said.

But looking at the television reminds him of his roots, and the family's first television set, an old black-and-white set carried home by the Tua brothers after they had picked it up off a pile of rubbish left for an inorganic collection in Otahuhu.

"We took turns standing on chairs holding the wire aerials so we could watch," Tua recalled.

"I know what's at stake here. I know how big this is. I know we're making history. I'm part of it, but it's not all mine. That background keeps me honest."

What is at stake is the dream he has pursued for the past eight years: the opportunity to go on and face Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, enough money to pay the national debt.

Tua said he was learning a lot from trainer Ronnie Shields and was confident they would have a plan to take Lewis down.

"It's mental preparation, too," he said, "learning to push through the pain."

Each day he works in the ring with Shields. Every second day he runs at altitude on Mt Charleston behind his Prince Ranch camp, and he is constantly in the gym.

Each day is early to bed, early to rise, porridge for breakfast and skinless chicken and rice for lunch and dinner.

He is lean and muscled. The baby fat that critics pointed to has all gone. There is hardened muscle across the shoulders that scares you just looking at it.

Shields rates Tua the hardest puncher in the heavyweight division - and he should know, after working with Holyfield, Pernell Whittaker and others.

"Everything is shaping up the way I want it to," Shields said. "We're going to knock Lennox Lewis out.

"We're going to pressure him from round one because we know that with every round David will get stronger and Lewis will get weaker."

He expects Lewis to come out the same way, believing the Briton is worried by Tua's power, ability to take a punch and stamina with power to the end.

"Without a doubt David is the stronger fighter. He can take a punch better."

Shields has worked with Tua for eight years and rates him an excellent student, saying: "He wouldn't be here now if he wasn't."

Sparring partner Greg Pickrom has tuned Lewis up for past fights, and prepared Holyfield for his most recent bout, against Johnny Ruiz.

He said: "I don't rate Lewis as a champ. Lewis hasn't got a big enough heart. I think he is in for a shock."

Over the years of working with Tua, the change he has noticed is in his improving use of his right hand.

Some other opinions on Tua's chances include:

Tyson's trainer, Tommy Brooks: "If Lennox fights like he fought Michael Grant, I like Tua. David has too much power."

Showtime television analyst Ferdie Pacheco: "This guy [Tua] is the reincarnation of Tyson. He is capable of punching anyone out."

Eddie Fuchs, aged 80-odd, a legendary trainer now retired, who watched sparring at the Ranch this week: "The speed of David's jab will trouble Lewis."

Sparring partner Lee Alhassan, 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games silver medallist: "He's hard, man. His punching output - whew!"

Emmanuel Steward, Lewis' trainer: "Tua is one of the strongest heavyweights ever to step in the ring. Many boxing insiders compare his style to that of a young Tyson, which I can see, but the difference is David Tua has the ability to knock you out in any round and seems to become more dangerous as the fight goes on, whereas Tyson usually fades.

"He also has a granite chin. He has never been knocked down, cut or hurt. He might be able to withstand some of Lennox's heavy blows, forcing Lennox into new territory."

Tua's manager, Kevin Barry: "We're only one punch away from the world title."