David Tua Samoan professional boxer. Date of Birth: 21.11.1972 Country: Australia

1. Biography of David Tua
2. Early Career
3. Battles with David Izonritei and Oleg Maskaev
4. Controversial Loss to Ike Ibeabuchi
5. Title Shot and Loss to Hasim Rahman
6. Later Career

Biography of David Tua

David Tua is a Samoan professional boxer who competes in the heavyweight division. He achieved success early in his career, winning a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Tua made his professional debut in December 1992 and initially fought against weaker opponents.

Early Career

In March 1996, Tua faced his first serious opponent, John Ruiz. The fight lasted just 19 seconds, with Tua delivering a devastating knockout that left Ruiz on the floor for several minutes. In September of the same year, Tua knocked out promising contender Darroll Wilson in the first round.

Battles with David Izonritei and Oleg Maskaev

In December 1996, Tua fought against David Izonritei in a highly anticipated bout. The fight remained intriguing until the 12th round when Tua delivered a powerful uppercut to knock Izonritei down. The referee stopped the fight, making it one of the top five heavyweight fights of all time in terms of thrown punches.

In April 1997, Tua faced Oleg Maskaev, who successfully defended himself throughout the fight. However, in the 11th round, Tua landed a powerful blow that led to the referee stopping the fight, even though Maskaev was able to get up.

Controversial Loss to Ike Ibeabuchi

In June 1997, Tua fought undefeated contender Ike Ibeabuchi. The fight set a record for the most punches thrown in the super heavyweight division. Despite the majority of judges giving the win to Ibeabuchi, unofficial HBO judge Harold Lederman believed Tua should have won. Tua accepted the result but admitted he had not done enough to secure victory.

Title Shot and Loss to Hasim Rahman

In December 1998, Tua fought undefeated Hasim Rahman for the IBF title in the heavyweight division. Rahman won the fight by outscoring Tua, but the match ended controversially. In the 10th round, Tua trapped Rahman against the ropes and delivered a series of punches, prompting the referee to intervene and stop the fight.

Later Career

In June 2000, Tua knocked out Obet Sullivan in the first round. He faced Lennox Lewis in November 2000 for the heavyweight championship but lost convincingly. In 2001, Lewis refused to fight mandatory challenger Chris Byrd, resulting in him being stripped of his title. Tua participated in a tournament for the vacant title, defeating Daniel Nicholson and losing to Byrd in the final.

Tua continued his career, winning fights against Fres Oquendo and Michael Moorer. In his rematch with Rahman in March 2003, the fight ended in a controversial draw. Tua took a two-year break from boxing and made a comeback in 2005, but he no longer faced serious opponents.