How good was David Tua back in the day?

[HitmanTommy]

I haven't kept up with a lot of this guys fights.

But other than a devastating left hook, what else did he do well at?

[TheMyspaceDayz]

Today’s generation will never watch his entire career so they will never understand the guy had one of the best chins in boxing. His endurance was solid for a puncher and his confidence was unshakable.

[ShaneMosleySr]

He was amazing.

Power and chin as mentioned.

He’s also an incredibly underrated boxer.

He could jab and throw a right hand way better than anyone gave him credit for. He also had good defense for being a pressure fighter.

But he was 5-10. So he could run into an amazing boxer who was 6-5, like a Lennox Lewis, and get stuck on the end of a jab all night long.

But he was great. He has knockout wins over multiple former heavyweight champions and even a former lineal champion.

[famicommander]

Great wins:
John Ruiz (future 2X heavyweight champion, knocked out in 19 seconds)
Oleg Maskaev (future heavyweight champion, knocked out in 11th round)
Hasim Rahman (future 2X heavyweight champion, knocked out in 10th round)
Michael Moorer (former 3X heavyweight champion, knocked out in 30 seconds)

Before his series of retirements and comebacks, his only losses and draws were to Ibeabuchi, Lewis, Rahman, and Byrd. Three heavyweight champs and one of the biggest wastes of potential in boxing history.

[famicommander]

But he was great. He has knockout wins over multiple former heavyweight champions and even a former lineal champion.

Two lineal champions. Michael Moorer (won the WBO, then later the WBA/IBF/lineal, and then later the IBF again) and Hasim Rahman (won the WBC/IBF/IBO/lineal, then later the WBC again). Plus 2X WBA champ John Ruiz and WBC champ Oleg Maskaev.

[Mushroom]

Today’s generation will never watch his entire career so they will never understand the guy had one of the best chins in boxing. His endurance was solid for a puncher and his confidence was unshakable.

I read that in the Lewis fight he was hit with a body shot early on and became more tentative from then on

[ShaneMosleySr]

You’re right. I was referring to Moorer but forgot to include Rahman’s time as a lineal champ. Good catch.

Two lineal champions. Michael Moorer (won the WBO, then later the WBA/IBF/lineal, and then later the IBF again) and Hasim Rahman (won the WBC/IBF/IBO/lineal, then later the WBC again). Plus 2X WBA champ John Ruiz and WBC champ Oleg Maskaev.

[champion4ever]

He was a good fighter with some very notable wins on his resume but was largely a gatekeeper in his career at best. He never won a major heavyweight title in his career.

There was nothing special about about his ability other than his chin and power. He was just your typical power slugger.

A plodder who was slow, with no defense or any upper body or head movement whatsoever and couldn't cut off the ring

[ShaneMosleySr]

I can’t believe people are saying David Tua was average when it took him a grand total of 49 seconds to knock out Michael Moorer and John Ruiz.

We have high standards on this board sometimes.

[Mike_b]

I could be mean and just say he ate punches but for real the David tua who showed up at the LL fight would have beat everybody, except for Lennox lewis pugilist specialist. Just like the night Floyd mayweather knocked out Ricky Hatton. Had it been anybody else Hatton would have beaten.