Tua fight may be in Hamilton

Hamilton is in with a puncher's chance of hosting David Tua's next New Zealand fight.

Tua's handlers last week announced three upcoming fights for the South Auckland heavyweight who destroyed Shane Cameron in Hamilton in October.

Two of the three fights will be held in the United States, and they will fulfil the Tua camp's Maori TV obligations. Tua will fight American Bruce Seldon in Atlantic City in February, and he will meet an as yet un-named opponent in Honolulu in May.

The third fight, scheduled for a New Zealand venue on March 27, will be against Nigerian boxer Friday Ahunanya, although a venue has not been confirmed.

David Higgins, of Duco Events, the company which brought the Cameron-Tua Fight of the Century to Hamilton's Mystery Creek Events Centre, said his firm would be promoting the New Zealand fight.

Mr Higgins told the Waikato Times Hamilton was one of the venues being considered for the March bout. Though he was reluctant to offer comment on its chances of hosting the bout, he confirmed the city was "absolutely" one option being considered, potentially competing with Auckland and Wellington.

Hamilton City Council's support for the Fight of the Century proved crucial for bringing it to the city. He had already given the council what he termed a "courtesy call" to advise them of its position: "I informed Hamilton first of our plans ... so they could have a think about it."

Council spokesman Philip Burton said its involvement in events was on a "case-by-case basis" and it would need further details before it considered it. However, he felt the Fight of the Century – which saw council invest an undisclosed sum to secure the event – had delivered "fantastic" promotion and coverage for the city.

- © Fairfax NZ News