Boxing: World's writers judge Tua's challenge severely

Defeated world heavyweight boxing challenger David Tua got no favours from the world's newspapers in the wake of his world championship defeat by Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

British newspapers were unanimous in their praise of Lewis and dismissive of Tua's performance.

The Daily Express said the fact that Tua was given rounds three and four by some of the judges showed why Americans could not count votes properly in the presidential election.

"Many in the crowd left early, convinced there was no way back for Tua," the paper said.

It said Tua was at times comical, his feet leaving the ground as he struggled to find his range with his left hook.

"For a camp so bullish before the bell, Tua's standard-bearers sat as if schoolboys chastened by a headmaster at the end."

The Independent said it was the David Tua Show until the bell rang. Then it was all Lennox Lewis.

"A sellout crowd at Mandalay Bay came to see a brawl, but what they got was a superb tactical performance by the IBF/WBC heavyweight champion as Lewis scored a one-sided decision."

The Sunday Times said Lewis, operating with the patience and precision of a one-man bomb disposal squad, easily defused the threat of Tua's hitting power and proceeded almost sedately to a landslide points win.

"It was a bursting of the South Sea bubble as all the promises of decisive violence from Tua gave way to a performance that degenerated rapidly during the 12 rounds into a resigned acceptance of the champion's superiority."

The Financial Times said Lewis' jab was enough to nullify Tua's threat.

"Whilst Tua's haircut became increasingly ragged, the Samoan-born fighter's left hook was all but snuffed out by Lewis' numbing jab as the champion capitalised on his 15-inch reach advantage."

The Las Vegas boxing media said the bout did little to advance the cause of the sport and that Tua's reputation had taken a dent.

Under a front page headline "Lewis pounds Tua," the Las Vegas Review Journal ran a giant photograph of the New Zealander on the ropes against the champion.

Columnist Joe Hawk said: "Some will call it strategic, others anaemic, but Lewis' mission to put together one scoring flurry each round and then spend the rest of the three minutes pawing at Tua, keeping him at bay, worked to precision.

"Tua took all Lewis dished out although, frankly, it wasn't much. Just enough to win."

Hawk said Tua was "almost invisible" in the final two rounds when a knockout was the only way to win the fight.

"Rather than step in and start whaling, he seemed to accept the fact he was going to lose and meekly settled for the defeat by decision.

"That seemed oh so un-Tua-like. The personable Samoan professes to be a warrior but instead of fighting to the death like one, when it mattered most, he went belly-up on the beach."

- NZPA

Herald Online feature: the Tua fight