Maori TV promises heavyweight Tua broadcast

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Maori Television promise they will deliver a world class boxing broadcast if, as expected, David Tua's next fight is in New Zealand.

Negotiations continue to try to get an opponent for Tua in time to don his gloves again before Christmas with promoters hopeful that will take place in Auckland.

Maori Television have the rights to air Tua's next three fights here.

If it's a United States promotion they will take the international feed.

But if the fight is staged in New Zealand they have promised to step up and deliver.

The broadcaster has become an aggressive player in the sporting market, covering local rugby league, handling basketball's Breakers in the Australian championship and also putting in a controversial bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup rights.

They also have a proven background in boxing, having covered Shane Cameron's four previous fights before stepping aside and allowing Sky TV to handle the Tua-Cameron extravaganza in Hamilton.

But now they have hot property on their hands in the form of a resurgent Tua and they intend to provide coverage befitting that.

Maori Television and Tua's global promoter Cedric Kushner have agreed to work a way forward. For the broadcaster that is all about getting the TV mix right and letting Tua's handlers come up with the right opponent.

"We aren't overawed by the complexity and think this is well within our capacity to deliver a world class boxing broadcast," said Maori Television chief executive Jim Mather.

"It wouldn't be too dissimilar to the four promotions we put on with Shane Cameron over the last 18 months in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Gisborne although we would definitely see this as being at a higher level again."

Mather backed his staff to do the business but added: "Where we felt we would need to bring in external expertise we would do that."

A large group of Maori Television staff were in Hamilton observing the successful promotion at Mystery Creek.

It's all systems go as far as Maori Television are concerned and they, like fight fans, anxiously await developments and details over Tua's next bout.

"We have huge respect for Cedric Kushner. He has been one of the leading promoters in boxing for almost three decades now and those sorts of details we will leave to the promoter and Team Tua and we will work on delivering a world class boxing broadcast.

"We expect that David will continue to work his way up the heavyweight ranks and fight at the level he is accustomed to - that world class level."

Mather said they were determined to help progress Tua's career and said their move to get alongside him - a deal sealed in 2007 - was evidence of that.

"We were the only New Zealand broadcaster that was interested in talking to David at that time. He was in the boxing wilderness. I, like many other boxing fans, realised that David Tua hadn't reached his full potential. Given the right circumstances, frame of mind and motivation - as we all saw with the Cameron fight - David Tua is still a significant force to be reckoned with."

While Tua will be paid just $50,000 for each of the three broadcasts in New Zealand, Maori Television is committed to try to increase the boxer's earnings through separate commercial and sponsorship deals. They have an arrangement with him that will see Tua earn 25% on the first $100,000 of that and between 75-100% of anything beyond the initial $100,000.

"Maori Television isn't aligned to David Tua because we want to make money or intend to. Basically we are quite keen to cover our costs, or as much of our costs as possible," Mather said.

- © Fairfax NZ News