(AP) HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Former heavyweight contender David Tua won a split decision over Cisse Salif on Friday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena.
Tua (44-3-1) was fighting for only the second time in two years, but was the aggressor in the 10-round bout. He won the fight on two judges' scorecards, 98-92 and 96-94. A third judge scored the bout for Salif, 96-94. There were no knockdowns.
Tua, who lost a lopsided decision in a failed title bid against Lennox Lewis in 2000, had managerial problems which had limited his ring activity.
Salif, who held a seven-inch height advantage, utilized a lead left jab on the shorter New Zealander, who sought to keep the fight at close range.
In the second round, Tua found openings and landed combinations to the body and rights to the head. He also was effective with overhand rights to the head in the third round.
Tua, who weighed 245 pounds for the fight, pressured Salif in the middle rounds, connecting with overhand rights and combinations to the body. But Salif (17-5-2), who weighed 263 pounds, frustrated Tua with the jab.
The action intensified in the second half of the fight as Tua continued to connect with overhand rights and lefts to the head. Salif was effective with counter rights and combinations to the head.
In an earlier bout, Zuri Lawrence (20-10-4, 0 KOs) won an upset unanimous decision over two-time heavyweight title challenger (32-6-3, 20 KOs) Jameel McCline. The scores were 100-90, 97-93 and 97-93.
