David Tua In The Shape Of His Life

David Tua In The Shape Of His Life

DAVID Tua is on track to be in the form of his life as he prepares for his showdown with the giant Belarusian Alexander Ustinov.

Tua showed off his new body at a press conference in Auckland today to promote his November 16 Hydr8 ZERO David v Goliath bout at Claudelands Arena, Hamilton.

He is well on track to weigh his lightest since his destruction job on Shane Cameron in the 2009 Fight of the Century.

On that occasion he tipped the scales at 107kgs.

He ballooned out for the meetings that followed against Friday Ahunanya, Demetrice King and the two bouts with Monte Barrett but with his date against Ustinov just 25 days away the weight issue is now a non-issue.

“Physically I am in a great space right now,” said Tua who has dropped around 30kg and expects to weight-in somewhere between 105kg and 110kg.
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“There is still a bit of work to be done. I can’t get too relaxed. The key now is to stay focused.”

Tua – who was originally slated to fight Ustinov in August before sustaining a calf strain, is confident his injury is well behind him.

“It's a blessing that the injury happened,” he said. “It has given me a little bit more time to prepare for this fight.

“I know a lot of people thought this fight would never happen after I injured my calf but, here we are. My calf is back to normal and I feel great.

“I got the all clear to train hard three weeks ago and things have been going really well.”

The common denominator in Tua’s 2009 and 2013 weight-war-win is his fitness conditioner Lee Parore.

The theme of their sessions has been “power, speed and endurance.”

And, Duco Events’ David Higgins – theHydr8 ZERO David v Goliath promoter – said he is full of admiration for both men.

“Lee is the master motivator when it comes to the Tuaman,” Higgins said. “He can take David places he doesn’t like going during training sessions and the result of that hard work is there for all to see.

“David is in great shape. The work ethic he has brought to his camp has been phenomenal.”

Tua knows he will need to be in career-best shape against Ustinov. The giant Belarusian has lost only once in his career and will provide Tua with his toughest test since his 2003 war with Hasim Rahman.

And while the prize on offer for a win means a step towards a second challenge for boxing’s heavyweight title, Tua is focused only on the Hydr8 ZERO David v Goliath bout.

"This is the only fight that matters,” he said.

“I have put everything into this fight. I can't look past this fight. I have made that mistake in the past – you know, getting involved too much in the hype.

"The hype is a part of boxing but it doesn't run who I am. I don't become the hype. I do what I have to do and I go home. It's my job. And I love my job. I love every part of my job. Boxing is part of my life but the hype that comes with it isn't."

Hydr8 ZERO David vs Goliath

THE MAIN EVENT COMBATANTS:

DAVID TUA

•Olympic bronze medallist 1992
•Has knocked out four heavyweight world champions (John Ruiz, Oleg Maskaev, Hasim Rahman and Michael Moorer)
•Set a world record for punches thrown in a heavyweight fight (vs Ike Ibeabuchi in 1997
•Fought for the sports’ greatest prize, the Heavyweight Championship of the World in 2000
•Ranked No 48 greatest puncher of all time byRing Magazine
•Won New Zealand’s Fight of the Century in 2009 in devastating style against Shane Cameron.
•His last punch in the ring, thrown in August 2011, broke the jaw of Monte Barrett and has just undergone 6 month brutal training camp and is in the best shape of his career
• Tua on fighting Ustinov: “I told the guys at Duco that I would fight anyone. And I am a man of my word. Alexander will be a challenging opponent on a number of levels. But I need ‘challenging’. I am boxing again because I eventually want to have another shot at the heavyweight title. That chance will never come if I run from fights. And that is something I have never done. I’m excited about the fight. The key now is to continue to work hard and make sure that come fight night I am in the best position possible to make a statement against Alexander and announce to the world that David Tua is serious about fulfilling his destiny.”

RECORD: Wins 52 (KO 43), Lost 4, Drawn 2

ALEXANDER USTINOV

•Stands 6 ft 7½ inches tall
•Currently ranked within top 10 in the World IBF and WBA
•Only one loss, to World IBF number 1 ranked Kubrat Pulev
•Has won 28 of 29 Heavyweight Fights
•Awarded the prestigious medal Order of Courage for 'Services to the Fatherland’ as a combat soldier in the Chechen campaign
•Four time winner one the K1 GP series (Russia and Spain in 2003 and Italy and Belgium in 2005)
•Promoted by the World Heavyweight Champion Klitschko brothers
•Is a former European Boxing Association heavyweight champion – 2010-2012
•Is a former IBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion

RECORD: Wins 28 (KO 21), Lost 1, Draws 0
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