David Tua

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David Tua
Statistics
Real name Mafaufau Tavita Lio Mafaufau Sanerivi Talimatasi
Nickname The Terminator / Tuaman
Weight Heavyweight
Nationality {Samoa/New Zealander}
Birth date November 21, 1972
Birth place Aopo, Western Samoa
Style Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 49
Wins 45
Wins by KO 39
Losses 3
Draws 1
No contests 0
Olympic medal record
Men's boxing
Bronze 1992 Barcelona Heavyweight

David Tua, born Mafaufau Tavita Lio Mafaufau Sanerivi Talimatasi on November 21, 1972 on the Island of Upolu, Western Samoa, is a former heavyweight boxing belt holder.

His family moved to Mangere in Auckland, New Zealand when he was 10 years old. As an amateur Tua showed considerable promise, and eventually represented New Zealand when winning the bronze medal in the heavyweight contest at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

He turned professional later that year, and embarked on a career which some say was handicapped because of his lack of height. Nevertheless, Tua was internationally respected as having one of the most devastating left hooks in world boxing and the ability to take severe punishment. Indeed, Tua was named the 48th greatest puncher of all time by Ring Magazine. He fought only once for the world heavyweight championship in which he lost on points to defending champion Lennox Lewis.

Tua is known for his devastating knockouts and his wars. His 1997 fight with infamous Ike Ibeabuchi was a barnburner on HBO, in which the fighters combined to set the record for most punches thrown on an HBO heavyweight telecast. Ibeabuchi won the decision, handing Tua his first pro defeat. Prior to the loss, Tua had devastating KO wins against future titlist John Ruiz (via 1st round KO, in 19 seconds!) and Darroll Wilson. Tua also beat David Izon and future champion Oleg Maskaev to set up the fight with Ibeabuchi. After the loss to Ibeabuchi, Tua took on future champ Hasim Rahman and stunningly TKO'd Rahman in the 10th, a fight which Rahman had dominated up to that point. The victory over Rahman marked the beginning of Tua's stuggles with his weight. He ballooned up to 253 when he defeated Obed Sullivan in 2000 by KO. Later that year, we weighed 245 in the loss to Lennox Lewis. Tua was badly battered in the fight, and lost a clear cut decision.

Following the Lewis loss, Tua regained steam with a KO over Danell Nicholson, but lost a close decision in his next fight to future champion Chris Byrd. In 2002 he beat prospect Fres Oquendo and demolished Michael Moorer in his next fight, via a powerful shot 30 seconds into the first round, which put Moorer out cold. In 2003 he drew in a rematch with Rahman, and his career drifted into obscurity following the fight due to promotional disputes.

Although the iron-chinned Tua was never knocked down in any of his fights, he was dropped in the final seconds of his bout with Rahman, an unofficial knockdown.

He has won 27 of his fights without needing to go to the fourth round; two of his fights lasted less than 30 seconds (he KOed Michael Moorer in exactly 30 seconds, and floored John Ruiz in 19), a record tied by only one other boxer, Jeremy Williams. At least 2 more of Tua's bouts have lasted under a minute, although full records of his early fights are incomplete, so he may have more short bouts than even that! Tua also ranked in 2nd with the most opponents knocked down in the first round, while Mike Tyson still holds first place.

In 2005 Tua took his manager Kevin Barry to court in a dispute over their business arrangements.

Tua is a unionized boxer, a member of the Joint Association of Boxers.

Tua defeated 40 year old Edward Gutierrez by knockout in the fourth round of a scheduled 10-rounder on July 26, 2006. The fight was held at the Manhattan Center ballroom in New York City, and featured on ESPN2. Tua started slowly, scored a knockdown with his famous left hook in the second round, and put Gutierrez down for the count in the fourth round with a combination of two left hooks, one to the head and the decisive one to the body.

David Tua is famous for introducing the phrase "O for Awesome", during Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.

He also has two sons, Klein and Kayan with his wife Robina Tua

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