We know all about the wrecking ball of a great heavyweight he was as a pro, but David Tua was also a fine amateur, as he learned his craft at a small gym in Mangere Bridge in Auckland, New Zealand, before he went on to win a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Now, as he prepares to return to Samoa for a homecoming, Tua will be honored at The Auckland Boxing Association Hall of Fame on October 26th.
Tua, ABA chairman Paul McSharry said when speaking with RNZ Sports in New Zealand, “is the best amateur we’ve ever had and the best professional we will probably ever have.”
Indeed, Tua the Pro was a genuine force of nature, a block of granite with lethal power in both fists, with “The Tuaman” also having the stamina to burn in his prime. As an amateur, Tua racked up 75 wins from a listed 84 bouts, with Tua winning 60 of these fights by stoppage or KO. As a 15 year old, Tua became the New Zealand national champion, while he was beaten by David Izonritei in the 1992 Olympic semi-finals; Tua knocking out Izon (as he was later called) as a pro.
But Tua, the explosive star so many people were convinced would become a world champion, started off the way all the great ones do (and in terms of great, it’s arguable that Tua ranks as one of the greatest heavyweights never to have won a world title) – as a fledgling boxer devouring knowledge. And now, Tua will be paid tribute to, and his amateur career will be honored later this month.
“It’s a massive surprise. Certainly an honor. I’m grateful, and I think of those who have gone before, those who have paved the way for me to be where I’m at today. I’m just really grateful, happy, and thankful for it,” Tua said of his upcoming honoring. “They (the ABA) played a massive role, not only as coaches, trainers, father figures, they mentored me to become the person that I am today. It’s an opportunity to say thank you to everyone that played a role in my life. I guess I can only hope that I’ve left the game knowing that it was better than when I started.”
Tua certainly made his mark and then some, not only in New Zealand but all over the world. As ferocious as he was inside the ring, Tua was/is a genuinely nice guy outside of it. Tua remains a genuine fan-favourite today. Winning a national title at the young age of 15 is some achievement, while the winning of an Olympic medal, of course, means so much to all athletes who managed to do it.
It’s actually quite tough to picture the young Tua learning his trade. When he burst onto the world stage with that chilling KO of John Ruiz in 1996, Tua looked almost like the finished article, certainly as far as punching ability goes. Tua really did look like a future champ and maybe a long-reigning one. Instead, quite amazingly, Tua never managed to win even a version of the heavyweight crown.
That said, Tua gave us plenty of thrills and great fights and nights to always remember: see his KO’s of Ruiz, Darroll Wilson, David Izon, Oleg Maskaev, Hasim Rahman, Obed Sullivan, Michael Moorer, and Shane Cameron. While many fans will always be in awe over the absolute war Tua engaged in with Ike Ibeabuchi.
Tua does indeed rank as one of the best heavyweights never to have ruled the world.
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