Rumors of David Tua sightings greatly exaggerated
David Tua is going to step it up in class on his comeback, and fight Kelvin Davis, a respectable foe, in New York on Nov. 3, or so we’ve been led to believe.
Not so fast, say the Davis people.
Cedric Kushner announced that the former world heavyweight title challenger Tua would battle Davis on Nov. 3, at Roseland Ballroom, in New York, but Davis’ bro/trainer/manager Kelly Davis begs to differ.
He told the Nevada Appeal, “That’s his (Kushner’s) fault (for the announcement). He (Kushner) wanted to sign Kelvin to a long-term, four-year promotional deal. How much do you think a fight with David Tua is worth? He offered us $9,000. I said, ‘You must be missing a zero somewhere.’”
Kelvin Davis (22-4-2, 17 KOs) will actually be fighting Saturday in London against an opponent TBD, the Appeal says.
The 28-year-old Davis stopped Ezra Sellers for the vacant IBF cruiserweight championship in 2004.
Davis has been in England to showcase himself and audition for promoter Frank Warren.
“It’s even better than I thought,” said Kelly. “The people are really nice. They’re good to us. Everybody speaks together. It’s like a team here with the boxers.”
Kelly also said his bro is scheduled to fight again on Nov. 17, so FYI, the Tua thang looks DOA.
Making the rounds I at some point mentioned to a man named Carlos, who described himself as a “registered private male nurse,� that I had a connection to boxing – and he had a boxing-related story he wanted to share about one of his patients. This patient (Carlos refused to divulge his name) is in a hospice dying of AIDS, probably contracted by sharing contaminated needles. Living above 110th Street, that news didn’t even register a shrug. But then Carlos mentioned that his on-death’s-doorstep patient is a former professional boxer, and he told Carlos that “he got paid for his fights in heroin.�
It appears that Joe Calzaghe and Enzo Maccarinelli get this; the Welsh boxers will fly to America on Saturday and will attend a media gathering in New York on Tuesday.
Pryor knocked out Antonio Cervantes in August of 1980 to win the WBA Light Welterweight title. His career-defining fight came two years later, when he stopped Alexis Arguello in the 14th round at Miami’s Orange Bowl. Pryor would TKO Arguello again – this time in the 10th round – in their rematch in Las Vegas in 1983. 
Mike Tyson made it clear yesterday that he is retired from real prizefighting, insisting that he will only appear in exhibitions, but I’m standing by my prediction. I think we will see him glove up for real again, that this exhibition tour is in some people’s minds a warm-up act for the real thing, and that certain people want to see Tyson/Holyfield III. Another prediction: that PPV would do pretty damn well. Is there any doubt that it would surpass Rahman/Maskaev in buys?
“We have read recent media reports that the Superfighter Tournament representatives have announced Samuel Peter’s participation in December. We regret that the Superfighter representatives have erroneously mentioned Samuel’s participation. It is not happening,� Duva said. “We like the Superfighter organizers and think it’s an interesting concept, but Samuel is just not available to participate in December. Perhaps at a later date if the timing works.�
In March of 1990, he faced WBA Light Welterweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez in a unification bout. Taylor was 24-0-1. Chavez was 69-0. For the first several rounds, it looked as if Taylor’s blazing speed would bring Chavez’s perfect record to an end, but Chavez’s granite-fisted attack began to take its toll as the bout went on. Going into the 12th-round, all Taylor had to do to win was finish the bout on his feet. Instead of keeping his distance, Taylor, at the insistence of his corner, choose to stand toe to toe with Chavez. 
“I am pleased that Superfighter has shown its integrity in the betterment of the sport of boxing by agreeing to cooperate with me and allow me to follow my dream and fight for the heavyweight championship of the world,” said the gentlemanly Brock. “I think the Superfighter concept is a great addition to the world of boxing, and I look forward to fighting in the Superfighter tournament without jeopardizing my goal to become and remain the heavyweight champion of the world.â€?
Lennox Lewis was in Melbourne on Tuesday and talked up the concept, which features four-round bouts in an elimination tournament, and beamed to an audience on PPV.
He was in rehab a few months back, and things were progressing well. He sought treatment, was released, and was on track to living a less self-destructive life. There has been, however, a bump in the road to wellness.