THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609190557
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MIAMI LENGTH: 79 lines
David Tua has been dubbed ``The Terminator.''
Problem is, all the terminations have raised questions about his perseverance.
``We don't know if he can go 12 hard rounds,'' said Tua's trainer, Ronnie Shields. ``He trains hard. But the whole point is getting in there and the pressure you have to do it before a live audience. That's the question we have unanswered about David Tua.''
Tua may answer that Friday when he meets Darroll Wilson (10 p.m., HBO) in a heavyweight bout that what will serve as the warmup act for the Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker-Wilfredo Rivera World Boxing Council welterweight title rematch. Tua and Whitaker are stablemates in the Main Events camp, and the Samoan-born Tua often trains with Whitaker at Wareing's Gym in Virginia Beach.
Tua, 23, is a hulking 5-foot-10, 220 pounds - a physique reminiscent of Mike Tyson. And he's demonstrating punching power reminiscent of Tyson as well, with 20 knockouts in his 24-0 professional career. In his pro debut in December 1992 at the Virginia Beach Pavilion, a devastating Tua left hook not only knocked out Ron Hume, but also fractured his ankle as he was hurled to the canvas.
Half of Tua's 20 knockouts have come in the first round. The average length of a fight Tua wins by KO is 2.1 rounds.
In March, on HBO's ``Young Heavyweights'' show, Tua knocked out Johnny Ruiz in 19 seconds. On the same card, Wilson (17-0-2) pulled off an upset by knocking out Shannon Briggs. Wilson is ranked No. 12 in the world by the International Boxing Federation, so this is Tua's chance to take a big step forward.
``This fight is going to determine his future,'' Shields said. ``It's a hard fight, but it's a good fight to determine if he's strong enough to hang with the up-and-coming young heavyweights.''
Tua, who was 11 when his family moved from Samoa to New Zealand, has gone 10 rounds once, eight rounds twice. Never 12. This will be just his second scheduled 12-rounder.
The 1992 Olympic bronze medalist from New Zealand said he can go the distance if need be, it's just rare that he has to.
``I've had two 12-round fights in the gym,'' Tua said - each time, three sparring partners went four rounds each against him. ``It's all mental. When you have done it physically in the gym, you know you can do it. This fight is definitely going to a different level, you have to rise to the occasion.'' MEMO: 2 Cuban defectors to make pro debuts on fight undercard
Joel Casamayor and Ramon Garbey, who defected from Cuba in June, will
make their professional debuts on the undercard when Pernell
``Sweetpea'' Whitaker fights Wilfredo Rivera on Friday night. Casamayor
and Garbey walked away from a Cuban Olympic training camp in Mexico to
seek political asylum in the United States. And American dollars.
Casamayor was an Olympic gold medalist in 1992. According to their
American manager, Luis DeCubas, Fidel Castro called Casamayor a traitor
who was lured away by a few coins. ``If it hurt Fidel Castro, it must
have been a great loss,'' DeCubas said. Garbey, a two-time world amateur
champion, was a loss as well. Both are talented enough that before their
first pro fight, they have generated a maelstrom of controversy. Bob
Arum said he signed the Cubans to a promotional contract. DeCubas said
the pair thought they were signing immigration papers and signed a
contract with Dino Duva of Main Events. Arum is suing Duva and DeCubas
for $10 million and has said he will not negotiate with Duva for a fight
between Whitaker and his star, WBC super lightweight champion Oscar De
La Hoya.
After boxing, what? No answer now
In November, Whitaker will mark his 12th year as a professional
fighter. It can't go on forever. But Whitaker said Wednesday that he
doesn't know what he will do after boxing. ``Boxing is my focus right
now,'' Whitaker said.
Purse strings
Duva said Whitaker will make in excess of $2 million Friday, while
Rivera will earn about $350,000.
- Steve Carlson by CNB