Tua chicken, says Friday's camp

BY STEVE KILGALLON IN LAS VEGAS

FRIDAY Ahununya claims he had to "push" David Tua into their March 31 bout in Auckland and that the fight should have happened three months ago.

The American heavyweight said Tua's dithering over signing a contract was a sign of his nervousness over the fight.

Ahununya and his manager, Luis Tapia, claimed Tua was so anxious about taking the bout that it was only their repeated public challenges that pushed him to accept.

Tapia said Ahununya had been guaranteed a June world title fight against one of the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir or Vitali, if he beats Tua.

"We challenged Tua many times. We were ready to pull out, actually," he said. "We kept calling him names, like `chicken'. We waited five or six weeks. He agreed but he didn't sign.

"It kept going back and forth so we did a lot of radio and TV, until he signed. You know what, it's a tough fight for both of them."

Tapia said the fight was originally laid down for December but was postponed, and Ahununya had actually signed two fight contracts, adding: "But David didn't want to sign."

Ironically, Ahununya said he had turned down a fight with Tua in New York five years ago because it was offered at just three weeks' notice.

Tapia said he had turned down a $75,000 bout with former world title contender Chris Arreola because they had committed to the Tua fight, for which they are being paid $35,000.

He predicted Ahununya would knock out Tua inside four rounds, saying the Kiwi would tire quickly. He also repeated his offer to bet $US100,000 that Tua could not knock out his man. "He never answered me though," said Tapia, offering to double that sum.

Ahununya, however, hinted he would try to take the fight to points, saying: "It's going to be a long night so I have to be fit.

"It's hard to predict but at the end of the night I intend to be the victor.

"I don't know if he is under-estimating me. I am not on his mind but it would be a shame if he is under-estimating me because I am not taking him lightly.

"I have the utmost regard for him."

Tapia said if Ahununya beat Tua he would not consider a rematch.

Meanwhile, another of Tapia's charges, five-weight world women's champion Layla McCarter, says she's desperate to find an opponent to fight on the undercard after leading Kiwi Daniella Smith turned down the fight.

McCarter, who has a 32-13-5 record, is recognised as the world's best lightweight and the fifth-best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by the website BoxRec, is coming to Auckland anyway to act as Ahununya's cutman.

She beat Smith on the undercard of Ahununya-Shane Cameron two years ago.

McCarter said Smith had pestered her for a rematch.

"She's a nice girl and I wanted to help her ... then she sent an email the other day saying `I can't believe they called me three weeks from the fight to have a six-rounder and I'm not going to be ready to fight someone of your calibre in that time'," said McCarter.

"Six rounds is nothing. If you in any kind of shape you can take six-rounder in your sleep."

McCarter said Smith had asked for sparring instead.

"What nerve! You screwed up my payday ... she's on my bad list right now. I'm really upset with her."

- © Fairfax NZ News