By Mark Vester

After talks appeared to have died last week, some last minute positioning of money has made the potential battle of New Zealand heavyweight rivals a reality. Both sides indicate that a 2009 battle between David Tua and Shane Cameron is closer than it's ever been. One of the big obstacles to overcome was the money. Cameron was insisting on a 50-50 split with both of them getting the same purse. It didn't appear possible, but now promoter David Higgins, the middleman trying to make the fight happen in March or April, says that he secured additional funds to pay each fighter $400,000.

Cameron's manager, Ken Reinsfield, is happy to hear the news of more funds but he will demand personal guarantees from Higgins and some form of security in place to ensure that his fighter gets paid. Who can blame him? Between the purses of both fighters, the Higgins would already be close to a million dollars in the hole on the planned mega-event in New Zealand.

"I've received nothing. It's OK making an offer, it's about whether they can pay you," Reinsfield told the Sunday Star-Times.

Tua's promoter, Cedric Kushner, told the paper that a German television network is interested in picking up the event. He wants to get the fight done as soon as possible.

"We're ready to go... let's wrap it up and move on," Kushner said. "If they want the fight with David they have the opportunity and the payday. If they walk away now it would be confirmation that all of Shane's bravado in calling David out for the last three years was nothing more than an attempt to link himself with New Zealand's greatest heavyweight."

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