NZ champ wants to take on David Tua

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American Chauncy Welliver, the New Zealand heavyweight champion, has called out David Tua whose career hangs in limbo after his lacklustre fight last weekend.

Tua maintains he is still in the top mix despite his controversial draw against Monte Barrett in Atlantic City that included Tua being floored for the first time.

As Tua's handlers ponder their next move Welliver has pleaded for Tua to take him on.

Welliver is ranked 10th by the WBO, eight places behind Tua on that organisation's list, and is the Asia Pacific interim champ with Tua holding that belt along with the WBO Oriental belt.

Welliver is based in New Zealand much of the time and was ringside in the United States to witness Tua's latest fight.

"I'm an elite fighter who would like to use a fight like Tua to show the world I'm right there too," the 27-year-old Welliver told the Eastside Boxing website.

"Dave is a friend of mine ... I feel it's a fight the New Zealand public can see happening as they know the both of us and know I have a chin of steel as they have seen me countless times."

Journeyman Welliver has fought few big names but has kept busy, amassing 52 fights since turning pro in 2001, winning 42 (14 KOs), losing five (one KO) and drawing five. He has fought 16 fights in New Zealand and has a reputation for durability rather than power. Welliver helped Shane Cameron prepare for his fight against Tua last year.

He fights American Galen Brown in St Louis next week for the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title.
With Tua having one more fight to go on his restrictive Maori Television there could be a temptation to persuade Barrett to reverse his decision to retire and come out for a rematch.

Otherwise Welliver might be an easy alternative - and a way to keep the WBO happy which is clearly Tua's best track for a title shot.

Welliver even suggested he could enforce his right to fight Tua for the Asia Pacific belt.

"I feel I should," Welliver said of taking that route.

"I know Dave had a path he was on towards the title, but that path was almost derailed against Barrett and he'll need an eliminator type fight to prove himself again, to show this fight against Barrett was a fluke and prove himself ready for the title if he can get passed me. We're both WBO top 10 world ranked, and I'll put my name on paper today."

Of Tua's title prospects, Welliver said: "I feel he must make his move now. He should fight an eliminator, which is where I come into play. He's a top WBO fighter and WBO Asia Pacific champion, and I hold the interim title. Let's fight in an eliminator and the winner gets the shot. That puts Dave one fight away from the title fight he has been working for. He's not getting any younger, and if he has a chance versus any of the top guys it's better sooner than later."

Welliver said he was shocked to see Tua hit the canvas but believed he had just had an off-night with his sluggish performance. He was also surprised at the result, like many feeling Barrett had won.

"I thought it was a very good fight. I had Barrett winning but only slightly. I can live with the draw, though I thought Barrett won. There were many close rounds."

Tua's performance against Barrett didn't do much to impress the American critics in his first fight there in three years.

Mark Vester of the respected Boxingscene website wrote: "The career of top rated heavyweight David Tua took a decent stumble. Barrett was viewed as a serious underdog coming into this fight. Tua was unable to land any of his big shots in the contest. He missed a lot of his punches and his stamina was shot to hell by the midway point in the fight. Barrett boxed smart, stayed away and made sure he was always at a safe distance from Tua's power."

Fightnews.com noted: "Tua stalked Barrett but was unable to land many clean shots. As the bout progressed, Tua began to noticeably tire."

Eastside Boxing writer Eugene Carnachan summed up the fight with: "Tua got very lucky with this call. Barrett did more then enough to win...and I mean more then enough. Tua looked rusty and off-timing. It's questions time in the Tua camp while Barrett's camp will be more then a little peeved."

- © Fairfax NZ News