DAVID TUA'S decade-long dream of becoming world heavyweight champion was significantly shaken yesterday when he was dropped to the canvas for the first time in his 56-fight professional career.
Rolex fakeTua emerged with a draw and retained his WBO Oriental and Asia- Pacific regional titles despite being knocked down in the final round of his bout against veteran Monte Barrett in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
But the locals booed the decision and a disappointed Barrett, who confirmed his retirement after the fight, said he deserved to win: "This is one of the things that caused me to retire. The sport is not pure like the fighters."
Tua admitted: "It was one of those nights, I did the best I could I was trying to get the guy, I was trying to work on my speed . . . but it seemed like nothing was going my way.
"But I kept my heart and kept fighting to the end."
Barrett, who entered the fight with a 34-9 record, had lost six of his last nine outings, and suffered defeats in his last three to rated contenders Odlanier Solis, Alexander Ustinov and WBA champion David pandora style Beads Haye.
Fighting a fading Barrett seemed designed to continue Tua's gradual buildup to a major fight and help him complete a restrictive three- fight broadcast deal with Maori TV.
Another rematch with three-time champion Hasim Rahman was shaping as a likely proposition before the year was out, but the draw puts that into some doubt.
Tua began brightly, stalking a tentative Barrett in the early rounds, and seeking an early finish which seemed likely when he rocked the New Yorker with a string of powerful rights in the fourth.
Barrett was admonished by pandora beads wholesale his corner that "you want to win this fight, you don't want to go out with a decision," and improved his workrate and footwork from the fifth round onwards.
Fighting cleverly if defensively, he frustrated Tua's attempts to position him for a winning combination and the bout appeared evenly matched as the final round began and Tua, uncertain whether he was ahead on the scorecards, pressed desperately for a knockout.
In his frustration, he wrestled Barrett to the canvas at the start of the 12th and had a point deducted by referee Randy Neuman. As Tua pressed again, Barrett counter- punched off the ropes and dropped him.
That 10-7 round seemed certain to have cost Tua dearly, but judge Joe Pasqual scored it 115-111 to Tua and the other two 113-113.
Tua's professional record stands at 51-3-2.
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