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.