David Tua

Bronze medal	1992 Barcelona	Boxing Men's Heavyweight

David Tua, born Mafaufau Tavito Lio Mafaufau Sanerivi Talimatasi on November 21, 1972 on the Island of Upolu, Western Samoa, is a former heavyweight boxing belt holder.

His family moved to Mangere in Auckland, New Zealand when he was 10 years old. As an amateur Tua showed considerable promise, and eventually represented New Zealand when winning the bronze medal in the heavyweight contest at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

He turned professional later that year, and embarked on a career which some say was handicapped because of his lack of height. Nevertheless, Tua was internationally respected as having one of the most devastating left hooks in world boxing and the ability to take severe punishment. Indeed, Tua was named the 48th greatest puncher of all time by Ring Magazine. He fought only once for the world heavyweight championship in which he lost on points to defending champion Lennox Lewis.

Tua was never knocked down in any of his fights, and he won 27 of them without needing to go to the fourth round.

In 2005 Tua took his manager Kevin Barry to court in a dispute over their business arrangements.

David Tua is famous for introducing the phrase "O for Awesome", during Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.

Professional Record

46 Bouts, 42 Wins (37 by Knockout), 3 Losses, 1 Draw.

Date	Opponent	Result	Title
1 Dec 1992	Ron Humes	Won KO Round 1
12 Dec 1992	Lorenzo Poole	Won KO Round 1
6 Feb 1993	Chris Brick	Lost KO Round 3
27 Feb 1993	Butch Kelly	Won TKO Round 3
23 Mar 1993	Alfredo Nevarez	Won TKO Round 1
28 May 1993	Earl Talley Houston	Won KO Round 1
22 Jun 1993	Greg Evernden	Lost TKO Round 2
10 Jul 1993	Larry Davis Poconos	Won KO Round 1
25 Sep 1993	Rick Honeycutt	Won KO Round 2
6 Nov 1993	Krishna Wainwright	Won Points Round 6
26 Nov 1993	Michael Acey	Won KO Round 1
5 Feb 1994	Bill Corrigan	Won KO Round 2
16 Apr 1994	Calvin Jones	Won TKO Round 4
7 May 1994	Lester Jackson	Won Points Round 8
13 Aug 1994	Everton Davis	Won Points Round 10
1 Oct 1994	Ken Lakusta	Won KO Round 4
9 Dec 1994	Cecil Coffee	Won KO Round 1
4 Mar 1995	Bruce Bellocchi	Won TKO Round 1
20 May 1995	Dan Murphy	Won TKO Round 5
15 Jul 1995	Sean Hart	Won Points Round 8
26 Aug 1995	Maurico Villegas	Won TKO Round 6
13 Jan 1996	Bruce Bellocchi	Won TKO Round 2
15 Mar 1996	John Ruiz	Won KO Round 1	Won Minor WBC Intercontinental Heavyweight Belt
23 Jul 1996	Anthony Cooks	Won TKO Round 1
20 Sep 1996	Darroll Wilson	Won KO Round 1	Retained WBC Intercontinental Belt
21 Dec 1996	David Izonritei	Won TKO Round 12	Retained WBC Intercontinental Belt
5 Apr 1997	Oleg Maskaev	Won TKO Round 11	Retained WBC Intercontinental Heavyweight Title
8 Jun 1997	Ike Ibeabuchi	Lost Points Round 12	Lost WBC Intercontinental Heavyweight Title
22 Nov 1997	Jeff Lally	Won TKO Round 2
10 Mar 1998	Jeff Wooden	Won Points Round 10
18 Apr 1998	Cleveland Woods	Won KO Round 3
30 May 1998	Nate Tubbs	Won KO Round 2
29 Sep 1998	Eric Curry	Won TKO Round 1
20 Dec 1998	Hasim Rahman	Won TKO Round 10
17 Jul 1999	Gary Bell	Won TKO Round 1
25 Oct 1999	Shane Sutcliffe	Won TKO Round 2
3 Jun 2000	Obed Sullivan	Won KO Round 1
22 Jul 2000	Robert Daniels	Won TKO Round 3
11 Nov 2000	Lennox Lewis	Lost Points Round 12	For WBC and IBF heavyweight title
23 Mar 2001	Danell Nicholson	Won TKO Round 6
18 Aug 2001	Chris Byrd	Lost Points Round 12
19 Dec 2001	Krish Kapil Gopal	Lost KO Round 1
13 April 2002	Fres Oquendo	Won TKO Round 9
17 Aug 2002	Michael Moorer	Won KO Round 1
30 Nov 2002	Russell Chasteen	Won TKO Round 2
29 Mar 2003	Hasim Rahman	Draw Round 12
31 Mar 2005	Talmadge Griffis	Won TKO Round 10

External links

• Tua of Duty Article from Fight Times about David's fight with Talmadge Griffis.