By Eugene Carnachan: Demetrice King enters the ring. Looks like a walking brick wall. A mammoth of a man is the American import. In the pre-fight build up King has been calling himself a power puncher but his record of 15 (KO 13) + lost 19 (KO 2) + drawn 0 = 34 with only a 38% KO ratio would indicate otherwise.
King looks to be in good condition.
David Tua 51 (KO 43) + lost 3 (KO 0) + drawn 2 = 56 enters the ring and looks to still be carrying a little excess but that said looks noticeably trimmer then when he fought Monte Barrett eight months ago.
King 126 (277 pounds). Tua 112 (246 pounds).
Round 1 –
Both men meet center ring. Look like to brick walls coming together to say hello.
Tua lands a great body shot, then a couple more for good measure.
Tua landing hard shots to the body. A lot of speed and steam in Tua’s hands.
King has only being stopped twice in his career (Oquendo, Briggs) so a durable character.
Tua doubles up with the left hook knocking King off balance.
King straight back to standing in front of Tua. Straight in front of Tua! Perhaps not the place to be standing against a puncher like Tua. As silly as standing mid-lane on a freeway busy with trucks.
King the much larger man. You wouldn’t want to bump into him in an alleyway…if he could fit down one.
Tua throwing punches with speed. Lands a great jab, that said King doing Tua a favor by walking onto his jab.
King looks wily.
End of round 1 – Tua round. The more active.
Round 2:
Both fighters walk to center ring.
King carrying his guard high. And will have to if he is to keep standing in front of Tua.
King coming forward but not doing much. Trying to set Tua up for a power shot…but he must have a bad memory because he keeps forgetting to throw it.
Both men working each others body but Tua the noticeably busier.
Both men now pitty patting to the body. Tua goes hunting high with a left hook but it doesn’t land clean.
Hard to work out what Kings tactics are. Seems to be stand mid-ring, take some heavy shots from Tua but not return in kind.
Hardly a winning strategy and not wise to playing sitting duck against a double barreled shotgun puncher like Tua.
Kings corner had better advise him that in order to win a fight you have to throw punches not absorb punches.
End of 2 – Tua the more active. Tua round.
Round 3 –
Tua lands a left. King getting more active and he need to. Throwing 1-2 combos. King looking to let his hands go.
King walking forward.
King warned for lifting his elbow to keep Tua off.
Double jab left hook by Tua lands well.
Tua punching in bunches.
King fighting defensively well. Hands held high.
Is King trying a mid-ring rope-a-dope? Trying to get Tua to fire his best shots? Either that or he is simply being a dope in providing himself as a punching bag for David Tua to pot shot at.
King not overawed simply under-punching.
End of 3 – Tua the more active. Tua round. Pattern of fight already set.
Round 4 –
This fight hasn’t ended early like the predictions.
Tua goes body then head hunting. Tua punching very crisply.
King still coming forward but not doing enough to take advantage of his being able to back Tua up. Strange watching Tua fight off the back foot. Not usually his bag in that everyone is running like a rabbit from the renowned puncher.
King simply being outworked by Tua.
Tua backing up but jabbing well off the back foot. Tua lands three jabs backing up.
King trying to set Tua up but not throwing. King looking for a big shot.
Tua looking really good. King must want his forehead to marry Tuas jab because he keeps offering it up.
End of 4 – Tua round. More active.
Round 5
King fighting southpaw, then switches back.
King posturing that Tuas punches aren’t hurting but doesn’t mask over the fact he simply isn’t working enough.
Not sense in showing Tuas shots aren’t hurting him when Tua is walking away with the fight.
King trying to bully Tua backwards. King definitely not scared of Tua but not being scared and not throwing punches aren’t going to get a W.
King coming forward and taking shots in trying to land a few.
Tua simply outworking the bigger man. Giving King a boxing lesson.
King trying to sneak the overhand right on to the top of Tuas head but to infrequently.
Good double left hook by Tua.
I think King sees an opening for the overhand right but not throwing enough to put a dent in Tua.
End of 5 – more of the same. Tua simply outworking King.
Round 6 –
King is plenty tough but plenty inactive too. Long way to fly to be a punching bag for a reputed puncher.
Tua lands a double left book. A 38 year old outworking a 26 year old. I’m no mathematical genius but something wrong with that equation.
Big right hand by Tua.
Nice double left hook by Tua. King shakes his head that they didn’t effect him. Kings corner should tell him that shaking his head to show he isn’t hurt by Tuas punches actually doesn’t rack him up any points.
King still coming forward though.
King crafty but not doing enough.
King back upped against the ropes inviting Tua to hit him. Tua cracks him with a bomb and wobbles him but King comes firing back. Great exchange!
Crowd didn’t like him waiving Tua in and booed him so. King waiving Tua in to hit him when he’s backed up against the ropes is like inviting the mother inlaw over to live with you…you just know it’s got to end bad…so why do it.
Kings corner had better advise him that an invite to hit him to one of the sports biggest punchers is not good sense.
End of 6 – more of the same.
Round 7-
King goes heading hunting then to the body.
Tua looking good…very good albeit against a guy that seems to have forgotten that boxing is about returning fire.
Tua looks to be enjoying the work he is getting from King. That said King has largely looked to be unemployed in this fight.
King tough but again simply not doing enough.
Tua backing King into a corner. Trying to find the bomb but just cant get one to detonate flush.
Tua landing some wicked body shots though.
End of 7 – Tua round. Just simply doing more of everything.
Round 8 –
No one expected it to get to this point. Kings got a great chin but not a punch output to match.
Perhaps the big shot from earlier in the fight has given King amnesia and King has forgotten that in order to win a fight you have to throw punches…preferably in bunches. To inactive is King.
King lands a good left.
Kng looking to get busy. Perhaps he’s shaken the amnesia off.
King has to KO Tua to win and that’s highly improbable given he hasn’t work in concerted periods with enough conviction.
Tua jabbing the best we’ve seen him in years. King providing the best forehead jab receiver we’ve seen in years.
Great 1-2 from Tua.
Tua throwing without getting any return fire so can do what he pleases really. Almost seems like a marriage of utter complicity. Tua throwing, King letting him do so.
Tua lands four punches but doesn’t wobble King.
Chopping right from Tua. King returns the favor.
End of 8. Same applies as the prior 7.
Round 9 –
Tua’s conditioning far better for this fight.
King has walked forward…and on to the end of Tua’s jab.
Tua lands a good left hook.
Tua a good body shot.
King pushing his shoulder in to Tua’s chin.
King lands a left hook.
King needs his gloves taped up.
Tua goes body, uppercut then to the top of the head. Tua seems particularly motivated in front of his home crowd.
Camera keeps panning to David Tua’s father. Tua senior has a handle bar moustache an English aristocrat would be proud of. Could put that handle bar moustache on a Harley Davidson and ride coast to coast with it.
Tua looking to lay some hurt down. Both men exchanging…bell goes and they keep throwing. Tua laughs. Tua not one to back down from a scrap.
Round 10 –
King coming forward. King doesn’t know how to throw full body punches. Big frame but pitter patters with his shots.
Great three punch combo from King.
Tua throwing punches with little return so can have his way.
Tua lands good right hand but King goes nowhere.
Last 60 seconds.
Crowd chanting Tua! Tua!
Tua heading hunting for the KO. Swinging from the cheap seats! King wears them well and returns fire.
Bell goes it’s over.
Tua win. Complete shut out. I can see why Kings record is as it is. Tough guy but inert guy. Tua looked good but against a very limited fighter in King.
Would like to see Tua fight a top real contender. Someone like Boswell or Eddie Chambers.