By James Slater: Australian heavyweight Kali Meehan, now aged 41 but still ambitious, has reportedly begun negotiating for a year-end clash with New Zealand powerhouse David Tua. Theage.com.au has reported how the fight, which would determine the champion of Australasia, is being planned now that Meehan’s talked-of fight with fellow Australian Alex Leapi has fallen through.
Tua, a few years younger than Meehan at age 38, also has the option of facing Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett in the summer; with the return fight being one Tua wants after the shock draw he fought to with the New Yorker last July. Maybe “The Tuaman” will get both bouts in before 2011 comes to a close. Heaven knows, time is marching on for both Tua and Meehan, and both former world title challengers can’t hang about if they hope to finally bag a major belt.
Meehan is relishing the idea of a rumble with Tua.
“It would be a good fight, and a dangerous one,” Meehan said. “We’ve both fought for the world heavyweight titles, we’ve both made our names on the world stage and we’re both from the southern hemisphere. We have an opportunity to give the public a fight they want to see. It is a dangerous fight for both of us.”
Meehan, 37-4(30), last fought in April of this year, when he stopped Valeri Semiskur inside a couple of rounds in Germany. The winner of two in a row since his May 2010 points loss to Ruslan Chagaev, the Australian is hoping a win over Tua will get him a second crack at a world title (Meehan fought Lamon Brewster for the WBO belt back in 2004, losing a split decision).
Meehan had hoped to fight Leapi (“Leapi said he wanted to step up,” Meehan said, “but when he was granted his shot they were empty words.”), but he will more than settle for a date with Tua. Stopped only by Danny Williams (in a surprising, 2001 1st-round win for “The Bronx Bomber”) and by Hasim Rahman (TKO 4 in 2004), Meehan has proven his class with wins over DaVarryl Williamson (WRTD6) and Evans Quinn (WU12 2010) as well as with the close loss to Brewster. But how much does Meeham have left today?
Come to think of it, we don’t know how much Tua has left. The 52-3-2(43) warrior has not lost a fight since way back in 2001 (when he was out-pointed by the slick Chris Byrd), but Tua has not looked great recently. Last time out he hammered out a points win over Demetrice King, and before that he looked to have lost to Barrett. Still, assuming he does fight “Two Gunz” next, and assuming he takes care of business, Tua would be made a pretty big favourite over Meehan – even though he would be giving away quite a lot in height and reach (Tua stands at 5‘10,” Meehan is 6‘5”)
For the loser there would be almost nowhere to go. For the winner there would remain the hope that one of the current champions would look their way. Tua Vs. Meehan, whether it took place in Australia or in New Zealand, would likely be an interesting fight.