Tua camp relief as WBO ranking stays at No 2

Fairfax Media

FINAL BELL?: New Zealand heavyweight David Tua says his August showdown with Monte Barrett could be his last.

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In the most positive news for the David Tua camp since his drawn fight with Monte Barrett a fortnight ago, the Sunday Star-Times has learnt he is unlikely to lose his No 2 ranking with the WBO - meaning that, despite the Barrett disappointment, Tua still stays within one fight's range of a world title shot.

Many in boxing assumed Tua would drop down the WBO's list because he did not beat the unranked Barrett, which would have been a serious setback, given the WBO appears to be his best avenue to a title shot with one of the four major sanctioning organisations.

The Star-Times understands Tua's camp has written to WBO president Francisco Valcarcel protesting that the decision of referee Randy Neuman to deduct a point from Tua shouldn't affect his place in the rankings. Tua's promoter Cedric Kushner would say only that "Mr Neuman was way off base".

But the protest appears to have worked, with one of the WBO's leading officials, Asia-Pacific executive Danny Leigh, telling the Star- Times: "David will not drop down our ranking list but he needs to fight again soon and produce an impressive performance to really be looked at as a major threat to the Klitschko brothers."

Kushner says that was "very good news". He also says he has no fears about taking legal action, first mooted in last week's Star-Times, against Kiwi boxing identity Lance Revill after Revill gave a post-fight radio interview implying Kushner had interfered with the Tua-Barrett fight judges.

Kushner, who has been an enthusiastic litigant, once suing Don King for libel, has consulted a New Zealand lawyer and says: "I will end up suing him."

Talk of a Tua-Barrett rematch remains just that. Kushner says he has made no approach to Barrett, nor any other fighter, while he waits for Tua to convalesce from a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, Australasia's most successful boxing promoter, Khoder Nasser, says Tua remains a genuine title prospect - if he ditches plans to fight in the US, stays home, fights often and rediscovers the motivation that brought him last year's knockout success of Shane Cameron.

"The issue for David is that nearly every single person he fights is trying to get away from him - so it's about cutting off the ring without getting worn down in 12 rounds," said Nasser.

"It's hard to stay at the same emotional level for every fight. Dave has probably been better prepared. "

- © Fairfax NZ News